The Bloodstained Sands Remind Me
by Rikku's Confessional
Summary: Blood stains the sands where Sora was murdered almost three years ago... [The End...?]
1. Bloodstained Memories

_If Sora really was to die, Do you know how many fan-girls would be down on their knees bawling for the rest of their lives? It's like making Johnny Depp die in Pirates of The Caribbean!_

* * *

The faint sound of a girl running across the soft sands of a beach. A boy calling out to her. The soft thud of a body hitting the ground.

Her screams echoed through the night sky as she watched his body drop. He let out a sharp gasp as he clenched his bleeding wound.

"Kai-Kairi-" He muttered, outstretching a hand towards her.

"Sora! NO!" She dropped to her knees beside him, letting tears fall onto her face.

His blue eyes shined as he wiped a tear away from her face.

"Kairi-I-love-you-" His words came out in nothing more than gasps.

"Sora," She hugged his body tightly. "I love you too!"

With a satisfied look on his face, Sora closed his eyes and his body slumped forward. He was dead.

"Sora!" Kairi hugged him tighter and wept into the night.

--A Year Later--

"Hey Kairi, you alright?" A shoulder beside her nudged her uneasily.

"Yeah I'm fine…" She stared at the chalkboard ahead of her.

"If you're sure… But you don't seem so alright to me."

Kairi snapped her pencil in half and turned to her friend. "Selphie why is everyone so damn worried about me?"

The entire class turned in her direction and stared.

"Miss Hisato, To the office, NOW!"

"With pleasure." She stood, grabbed her bag, and charged out of the room.

On her mad rampage through the halls, she failed to see the boy in front of her. He was staring at a paper in his hand and was heading towards her. Within seconds they collided, making books and papers fly everywhere.

"Watch it!" Kairi muttered, picking up her bag.

"Sorry. I'm new here. I'm Roxas." He stared at her and smiled.

Kairi looked up at him and her mouth dropped.

'_Sora?'_

Roxas cocked his head to the side in confusion but still continued to smile at her. He pushed his spiky blonde hair out of his face and held out his hand. Kairi took it and stood.

"I-I'm Kairi." She managed to say, all the while not removing her violet eyes off of his deep aqua.

"I see. Well Kairi, I'm off to," He looked down at his schedule. "AP Biology 1. See you later then?" She nodded and he walked away.

'_He reminds me of Sora… But why? There's just something there-'_ Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a bell, then she remembered where she was supposed to be.

"Why does that Kairi girl look so familiar to me?" Roxas muttered to himself as he walked home later that day.

"Hey Roxas!" He heard a voice yell from behind him.

He turned and saw Kairi running behind him. He stopped walking and waited for her to catch up.

"Hey Kairi," He said with a smile.

"Walking home alone eh?" She pushed a strand of her red hair out of her eyes. "Why don't I walk with you? Just to keep you company."

Roxas gave her a look of confusion, but nodded.

"Where do you live?" She asked as they started walking.

"About two blocks from here, why?"

"You must not live too far from me then."

Soon silence spread over their conversation and no one spoke. Kairi avoided Roxas's eyes at all costs, but caught his gaze for a quick second.

'_Kairi I'll come back for you, I promise-'_

'_I know you will!'_

The smiling face of her best friend flashed before her eyes and she felt herself step forward towards Roxas. He turned and stared at her as she held her hand out towards his face. He stepped back, causing Kairi to come back to reality quickly.

"What happened there Kairi?" He asked her as she dropped to her knees and held her head.

"I-I don't know." She managed to whisper as she sucked in deep breaths.

"Are you okay?" He reached out to her but she knocked his hand away.

"I'm fine." She stood and walked away from him as fast as she could.

'_I can't even bare to look at him… What is going on?'_

Roxas stood and watched Kairi run from him a look of deep hurt on his face.

"She can't even look at me. I don't understand any of this, But I will." He then continued his walk back home.

"I can't just forget the past. I can't forget this spot. I can't forget him. I can't." Kairi grabbed a handful of red sand that sat before her. "He was murdered here… And everyone acts like it didn't happen."

Tears were clinging to her eyes as she dropped the bloodstained sand out of her hand. She looked up at the night sky and the stars above her.

"It was a beautiful night just like this…" She closed her eyes and everything came rushing to her at once.

'_C'mon Kairi! Let's go back to the Islands… Let's make it just like the old days,' Sora's smiling face was something she couldn't resist._

'_Fine… But just for awhile. I have a CRAP-load of homework.' He grabbed her arm and they ran to the docks._

_After they had finally reached the Islands, Sora jumped into the ocean._

'_Ah, it's so cool here.' He whispered staring at the sky above them. _

_The sun was setting, so he decided to get out of the water so he and Kairi could watch it together._

'_You know Kai, it's been a few months now that we've been home, but it feels like we've been here for nothing more than a few days.' He said, touching her face softly. 'I missed you.'_

_Kairi's face went a deep red as she turned away. 'I missed you too. You were gone for so long… I didn't think you'd come back.'_

'_But I did.' He turned her face so that it was close to his and smiled._

_He closed his eyes and inched closer to her… All of a sudden the ground around them shook and heartless appeared around them._

'_Kairi, stay behind me!' The Keyblade appeared in his hand and he charged at them. _

_More and more kept appearing as did many Nobodies. Within moments, thousands had surrounded them both. Kairi pulled out her Oathkeeper and destroyed a few around her, but as she did, more still appeared. Suddenly the ground shook once more and out appeared a large heartless. Large horns appeared from it's head and it's claws were red with the stain of blood. _

'_Sora!' Kairi yelled from behind him. _

_He turned and saw that she was captured by heartless. He ran over to help her when the giant heartless came at him. He turned and stabbed the Keyblade into it's head, but to no avail. It came at him again clawing him in the chest. Gasping for air he tried to stand, but just to be knocked backwards again. He stood and turned to Kairi. His mouth moved but nothing came out. The heartless then stuck it's claws into his chest, making blood pour onto the ground before him. His body fell to the ground softly and Kairi screamed into the night. The heartless released Kairi and disappeared back into the darkness, leaving her to run over to Sora's bleeding corpse._

_He let out a sharp gasp as he clenched his bleeding wound._

'_Kai-Kairi-' He muttered, outstretching a hand towards her._

'_Sora! NO!' She dropped to her knees beside him, letting tears fall onto her face._

_His blue eyes shined as he wiped a tear away from her face._

'_Kairi-I-love-you-' His words came out in nothing more than gasps._

'_Sora,' She hugged his body tightly. 'I love you too!'_

_With a satisfied look on his face, Sora closed his eyes and his body slumped forward. He was dead._

'_Sora!' Kairi hugged him tighter and wept into the night._

Tears were pouring out of Kairi's eyes as she yelled out into the night, "SORA WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE!"

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and when she turned around to see who it was, she gasped.

"Roxas-" She whispered.

"Kairi why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you?"

"About your friend… If you had, it would of made this all so much clearer." He patted her head softly. "I'm here for you."

She turned to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." She said squeezing her arms around him tighter. "Thank you so much."

He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her as well and they sat there in each others arms for the rest of the night.

* * *

_I hope you like the first chapter... I am currently working on the second. I hope you enjoy, and please hit the purple button down to the left hand corner of the screen!_


	2. Growing Closer

**A/N:**_ I've been working on chapter two all day, so here it is! A little drama here... Seems Kairi feels that she has more than "friendly" feelings with Roxie eh? Hope you like it! Oh and thank you for the people who reviewed!_

* * *

"_Roxas-" She whispered._

"_Kairi why didn't you tell me?"_

"_Tell you?"_

"_About your friend… If you had, it would of made this all so much clearer." He patted her head softly. "I'm here for you."_

_She turned to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." She said squeezing her arms around him tighter. "Thank you so much."_

_He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her as well and they sat there in each others arms for the rest of the night._

--A few weeks later--

"Hey Kairi wait up!" She turned and saw her best friend, Selphie, running towards her.

"So, did you see that new kid?" She asked.

"Yes. What about him?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It seems he's the schools new hottie! All the girls have been asking him out but he's been turning them all down!" A soft sigh exerted from Kairi's lips as she giggled a bit.

"I wonder why he won't go out with any of them?" Kairi asked her, a grin on her face.

"Hey Kai!" Selphie turned around with Kairi to come face to face with Roxas.

"Hey. Well, I guess I'll see you around. I promised Roxas I'd walk with him to class!" Selphie just stood, dumbfounded by the sight of them.

"Oh! Kairi has a boyfriend!" She screamed.

Kairi stopped walking and turned around angrily. "He's not my damn boyfriend! He never will be! Got that?" Selphie nodded and Kairi charged down the hallway away from Selphie and Roxas.

"Kairi!" Roxas followed her down the hall and out the front doors. "What is wrong with you?"

"You! That's what! I don't have a boyfriend and I never will! Not since-" She felt tears sting her eyes.

"Kairi don't cry," Roxas ran over to her and patted her shoulder softly.

"Do you think I like crying? I can't help it Roxas! I was there when my best friend was murdered-" She dropped to her knees and sobbed.

"I told you Kairi, I'm here for you." He said, kneeling beside her.

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me?" She asked, wiping the tears away.

"I-I just do." He muttered blushing slightly.

Kairi raised her eyebrow in suspicion but soon looked away from him.

"Why can't you look me in the eyes?" He asked her.

"Because you look so much like him-" She caught his gaze and felt her face go red. "And I can't deal with that."

Roxas turned his head away with a look of the up most sadness on his face. "I'm sorry if you can't look at me Kairi. Maybe it would be better for us both if we didn't hang out anymore."

Kairi's eyes widened as he stood up. Although he had only been here for a few weeks, the two of them had grown closer each day. She considered him as a best friend.

"Roxas wait!" But he was already gone, walking down the halls of the school.

'_Why do I have to mess everything up?'_

She picked up her bag and solemnly stepped back inside the doors of her school.

--That Night--

Kairi was perched upright against one of the trees on Destiny Islands, simply watching the sun set before her. She had a small journal in her hand and was staring at it intently.

"This journal… It has everything in it when Sora was on his journey… What I went through, what my thoughts were when he was gone… What we did our last night together-" She dropped it in the sand beside her and let out a deep sigh.

"I never wanted to forget anything about him and I. I thought we were going to grow up, get married, have a family… Die…_together_." She picked the journal up and shoved it into her bag. "And now, I messed it all up with Roxas… I mean, I thought I could finally move on, with his help-"

She shifted uneasily as she noticed that it was getting dark.

"Time to head back to the mainland." She turned away from the islands and headed back to her boat.

When she got home, she noticed someone sitting on the front porch at her neighbors house. She looked closer to see that it was Roxas.

"Oh my god, What is he doing? Does he live right beside me?" She hid behind one of the bushes in her yard and blushed.

'_What am I doing? Why am I hiding from Roxas?'_ Her thoughts were interrupted when someone called out her name.

"Kairi?" She looked up and saw Roxas staring at her from his porch. "Is that you?"

Kairi jumped up and blushed as she stared into his eyes. Roxas cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

"Come here for a sec," He said.

Kairi walked over to his porch and sat on the front step. He looked different than usual, Maybe because he wasn't in his school uniform. No. He was in tan shorts and a white t-shirt, and had his white sneakers on. Kairi couldn't help but smile at him.

"Kairi, We need to stop talking. For your own good. If I remind you that much of your friend-" But Kairi cut him off.

"Roxas, At first I wasn't sure if I would be able to deal with the fact that you remind me of Sora… But in these past few weeks I've come to realize that," She brushed a piece of fallen hair out of her face. "That I need you now more than anything in the world."

Kairi stood for a moment, awaiting for a response, but everything was silent.

"I understand. This is how it's supposed to be then," Kairi whispered, turning away from him.

She began to walk away when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She turned and saw Roxas, who was wrapping his other arm around her back. She stood there, dumbfounded by his actions.

'_What is he doing? Why is he hugging me?'_

"Kairi. I'm so glad, that you can deal with me… Because you're the first friend I've ever actually had. You're the only person who's ever been there for me. You mean everything to me." She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Roxas… I don't know what to say to you…" She whispered, still clinging to him.

"Then don't say a _word_." The hushed silence between them seemed to whisper enough words that just couldn't be spoken.

* * *

_Well, I shall work on Chp.3 tomorrow, I don't know if I'll have it finished tomorrow... If not I prolly won't have it up til Thursday... I'm going to a fair hehe._

_Hit the **small** purpley **button** **down** **there** and **review** **please?**_


	3. Love and Memories

**A/N:**_Truly sorry for the wait... Something was wrong on here and wouldn't let me put this chapter up. Anyway, Thanks for all the new reviews! Chapter 4 is halfway finished so I should have it up by tomorrow night!_

* * *

"_I understand. This is how it's supposed to be then," Kairi whispered, turning away from him._

_She began to walk away when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She turned and saw Roxas, who was wrapping his other arm around her back. She stood there, dumbfounded by his actions._

'_What is he doing? Why is he hugging me?'_

"_Kairi. I'm so glad, that you can deal with me… Because you're the first friend I've ever actually had. You're the only person who's ever been there for me. You mean everything to me." She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around him._

"_Roxas… I don't know what to say to you…" She whispered, still clinging to him._

"_Then don't say a word." The hushed silence between them seemed to whisper enough words that just couldn't be spoken._

_--_A few days later_--_

Kairi was scribbling furiously in her notebook set before her. Small hearts, inscribed with the name _Roxas_ inside of them were some of the many things drawn on her page.

"Hey Kairi, what you drawing?" Selphie asked beside her.

"Hmm? Oh! Nothing!" She covered her page with her arms and smiled. "Nothing at all."

Selphie shook her head, but let it go after that. A few minutes later, the lunch bell rang and Kairi stood outside the classroom, waiting patiently.

"Hey Kairi." She heard a voice beside her whisper.

She turned and faced the boy, a look of anger on her face.

"What do you want Tidus? Shouldn't you be with Wakka somewhere?" He shook his head and grinned.

"I just got done talking to Selphie. She said you were scribbling in that little notebook of yours." He eyed it with a sly grin on his face. "It wouldn't happen to have my name in it would it?"

Kairi shoved him away and rolled her eyes. "Get a life Tidus."

"Fine Kairi. But when you're looking for a boyfri-" But he was cut off by another voice.

"Hey Kairi! What are you doing?" Roxas asked.

"I was just waiting for you. Come on, let's go." The two of them walked away, leaving Tidus to grumble away in his anger.

"Who was that?" Roxas asked as they headed towards the lunchroom.

"That was Tidus… He has a crush on me. Er! He never leaves me alone." She muttered. "But he doesn't matter to me."

"I see."

As they walked into the lunchroom, they noticed that everyone's eyes were on them.

"What are they looking at?" Kairi asked Selphie, who was sitting at a table nearby.

"You two! The newest couple in school!" She giggled at her words.

"WHAT?" Roxas and Kairi both yelled at the same time.

"We are so not a couple! He's just a really good friend, that's all!" Kairi stuttered, blushing profusely.

"Yeah. Kairi and I could never be more than friends… It'd be very awkward for us both." Roxas said quietly.

"Whatever you say. But I am keeping an eye on the two of you!" Selphie then started talking to a brown haired girl beside her.

"Man people. I tell you what." Kairi laughed at Roxas's humor and he smiled.

The two of them got in line to eat, acting as though nothing had really happened at all.

--That Night--

Roxas and Kairi were sitting in Roxas's back yard, watching the sky above them.

"The stars are so beautiful," Kairi whispered.

"Yes, you are." She turned and stared at Roxas, a shocked look on her face.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"What? Oh! Nothing!" He mumbled blushing slightly.

"Roxas-" She spotted a blade of grass on his cheek and brushed it away.

He stared at her for a moment, and time just seemed to freeze. Kairi felt her face go red as he started to move in closer to her and she tried not to move away. Thoughts ran through her head quickly.

'_Is he trying to kiss me? Am I ready to do this? Why does he look so much more like Sora right now?'_

"Kairi, what was Sora like?" Roxas asked, as he sat closer beside her.

She shook her head and smiled. "He was great! He was so kind… I don't think you could find a trace of evil in that boy. He was also very sweet and caring…" She stared off. "He was so funny… He could always find a way to make me smile."

"You really miss him… don't you?" She nodded.

"Yeah, Truth is, I was in love with him and before he died, he told me he loved me." Kairi let a sigh exert from her lips.

"Wow. I mean, that had to suck… Sit there and watch the one person you love die-" He saw Kairi's eyes begin to swell up with tears. "Maybe we should change the subject-"

"No, it's fine. Talking about it helps. Especially since I'm talking to you." She smiled and held back her tears. "I remember the day when he and I were separated… After he defeated Ansem. He had a hold of my hand, and promised me he'd come back to me."

"You two were really close, weren't you?" Roxas asked, his voice full of sadness.

"Yes. More that I had ever been with anyone. I mean, he sacrificed himself just so I could have my heart back. He _became _a heartless for me. And even then our connection was so strong… Because when we both lost our hearts, our Nobodies were created… Although I don't quite remember much about them…" Kairi trailed off and Roxas shot upright. "Sorry, this must all be so confusing to you."

"No it's fine… But we should probably be heading inside-" Kairi hugged him tightly and turned away.

"Roxas, thanks again for listening." She whispered.

"No problem." And they both headed inside to their homes.

--Later that night--

"That was weird… When she mentioned the word Nobody, I felt my heart stop and something inside my memory jolted…" Roxas rubbed his head in confusion.

'_Sora?' A voice called out to him._

'_No, I'm Roxas… Who are you?' He replied to the voice._

'_I'm Kairi. Do you know where Sora might be?'_

'_No, but, who is this Sora everyone keeps talking about…?' _

"Where did that come from?" Roxas asked himself. "Did I already know Kairi before I met her here?"

Suddenly his phone rang and he sat up and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Roxas? It's Kairi." He felt his heart flip at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Kai! What's up? Why you calling me so late?" He asked.

"I-I just wanted to tell you I can't hang out with you anymore." She whispered.

"What? Why!" He heard her sniffling on the other side, he knew she had been crying.

"Because, Roxas… Don't you remember? I knew you before…" Roxas shook his head in confusion.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Roxas, you're Sora's Nobody!"

* * *

_**Oooo**! **Twistedness** Eh? Hehe. Hope you likey! **Remember** to hit the small **purpley** button )_


	4. And Yes, I Love You

**_A/N:_** Hope you like this chapter! Roxas is really starting to understand things, now isn't her? And what's with Kairi? She needs to figure her life out xP.

**_Disclaimer:_** Don't own KH 1, COM, or 2. Sadly.. But I would be rich if I did. xP

_

* * *

_

_"Hey Kai! What's up? Why you calling me so late?" He asked._

_"I-I just wanted to tell you I can't hang out with you anymore." She whispered._

_"What? Why!" He heard her sniffling on the other side, he knew she had been crying._

_"Because, Roxas… Don't you remember? I knew you before…" Roxas shook his head in confusion._

_"What? What are you talking about?"_

_"Roxas, you're Sora's Nobody!"_

--Roxas's Room--

He heard a click and then the line went dead. She had hung up on him.

"What does she mean I'm Sora's Nobody? I have a heart. I am my own person!" He didn't understand what she was talking about, he had never even met this Sora before… Or, had he?

"Why can't I remember?" He slammed his fist onto his dresser, causing his drawer to fall out. "Great," He mumbled, picking it up.

As he picked the drawer up, he noticed something small, like a key chain to a necklace or something within it.

"This isn't mine," He held it up and saw that it was in the shape of a small silver crown. "Where did this come from?"

He rubbed his fingers over it and laid on his bed softly. "A Nobody…"

_'Roxas,' A voice whispered softly._

_He opened his eyes and stared off into the darkness. Everything was pitch black, he couldn't see a thing._

_'Who are you?' He called back._

_'Come on now Roxas, You know me.' Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone behind him and gasped._

_Turning around, he came face to face with a boy. His blue eyes were so welcoming, so calm, and spiked brown hair surrounded his head._

_'Sora!' Roxas yelled. _

_'Now you remember? Anyway, how is Kairi?' Sora's voice filled with a soft sadness._

_''She's good… Kind of. She said I was your Nobody or something…'_

_'So now she remembers? I figured it would take longer… You see, you were created when I became a heartless, then you were put back with me. When I died, you escaped me and became as you once were. But yet again, you aren't truly supposed to exist.' Sora let out a deep sigh. 'I've kept in contact with Naminé, Kairi's Nobody, for some time, but she is slowly fading within Kairi once more. I know this is confusing but-'_

_Roxas cut him off. 'I understand… Kairi doesn't want to be around me anymore because I actually **am** a part of you… But I realized something Sora. I understand why I like her so much… Because of your love for her. Technically I still have traces of you in me so…'_

_Sora nodded. 'Yes, I don't think Kairi is ready to accept another love because she doesn't want hurt-' He looked away for a second. 'Again.'_

_'Yeah. And if not being with her makes her happy, then so be it. All I want is for Kairi to be happy, even if it kills me inside.' Sora grinned at Roxas's words._

_'You are too much like me.'_

_'Look sharp, Sora. It was nice talking to you and meeting you… again…' Roxas whispered as everything began to blur._

_'Yeah same. Just please tell Kairi I miss her. Because I do. I really do.' Sora's figure faded and everything went dark again._

**Beep. Beep. Beep. **

The sound of an alarm made Roxas sit up and cover his ears.

"A dream? But why?" He looked in his hand and saw the small charm. "This is Sora's… Now I get it."

He hopped out of bed and grabbed his school uniform out of his drawer. Throwing his outfit onto a chair, he removed his clothes and stepped into the shower. Within a few moments, he stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around himself. Yawning slightly, he pulled his boxers on and pulled out a bottle of Axe. After spraying himself, he heard the doorbell ring.

"Crap," He ran downstairs and opened the door.

"Um, Hi Roxas…" Kairi's eyes widened as she stared at his slightly buffed chest.

"Aw hell," He ran upstairs and put his pants on quickly.

He rushed back down the stairs and leaned in the door way slightly.

"Uh, sorry bout that Kai. So what brings you here-" She hushed him with her finger and stepped inside his house.

"Nice place." Kairi whispered looking around.

"Yeah, I guess… But I kind of need to hurry, as you can see, I'm not quite ready for school." Roxas closed the door and followed her into the living room.

"I wanted to apologize for last night, For freaking out." She sat on the couch and sighed.

Roxas sat beside her and smiled. "It's okay."

Kairi looked over at him and stared into his blue eyes softly. "Roxas, the truth is-" She leaned in close to him, so close that their lips almost touched. "I like you. And I couldn't help but feel bad for last nights incident."

Kairi closed her eyes and leaned in to where their lips finally touched. Roxas, amazed by her actions, kissed her back. When they pulled apart, Both of them were staring, amazed at each other.

"Um, I better go," Kairi ran to the door and flung it open.

Roxas was still sitting there, unable to move. He was completely confused by Kairi's actions.

"Wait, Did she just say she liked me?"

--Outside Roxas's House--

"Dammit!" Kairi slammed her fist into Roxas's door angrily. "I told him how I felt, and he said nothing!" Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees.

"Everything's falling apart. Everything." She dropped her purse next to her and wrapped her arms around her legs.

Kairi turned around when she felt the door open behind her. She looked up and saw someone staring down at her.

"Roxas," She whispered, standing up.

Kairi's face was red and puffy from all of her crying, but Roxas said nothing. He leaned down to her and pressed his lips softly against hers. When he finally let her go, Kairi felt hot tears cling to her eyes.

"I love you Kairi." Roxas smiled as he spoke.

Small tears fell down her cheeks as she smiled up at him.

"I love you too Roxas." Then Roxas wrapped his arms around her and held her closely.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry It's so short... I didn't realize it was this short... Next chapter will be longer, I promise. But I'm going to be gone for two weeks so, I won't have it on here for awhile. Deeply and Truly sorry. Thank you to all the reviewers! Oh and New reviewers are always welcome ;) 


	5. Memories Reborn

**A/N: **_Sorry About The Wait! Here it is! Chapter Five. Yess it is a bit short. Truly Sorry._

_

* * *

_

_Kairi turned around when she felt the door open behind her. She looked up and saw someone staring down at her._

"_Roxas," She whispered, standing up._

_Kairi's face was red and puffy from all of her crying, but Roxas said nothing. He leaned down to her and pressed his lips softly against hers. When he finally let her go, Kairi felt hot tears cling to her eyes._

"_I love you Kairi." Roxas smiled as he spoke._

_Small tears fell down her cheeks as she smiled up at him._

"_I love you too Roxas." Then Roxas wrapped his arms around her and held her closely._

--A few weeks later--

"Summer Vacation is in two days! I can barely stand the wait anymore." Kairi shook her head in anticipation.

"Oh come on Kai, what's so great about summer? Other than swimming at the beach, no school, pretty much doing whatever you want…" Roxas put his hand through his hair and grinned. "Never mind."

"Plus with us living next to each other, we can hang out all the time." Kairi winked and threw her arms in the air. "Ahh I cannot wait to go swimming!"

Roxas watched Kairi in her excitement and couldn't help but smile. He was like a lovesick puppy whenever Kairi was around. Roxas pushed back his blonde hair and straightened his blue uniform slightly.

"Well we better head home at least Kairi. The last bell rang about ten minutes ago."

"What? Why didn't you say so!" Kairi grabbed Roxas's arm and they ran down the sidewalk towards their houses.

"Roxas? How bout we go to Destiny Islands? I mean we can go swimming right now!" Kairi grinned at him. "Let's go home and change."

Roxas ran with her as they headed home but was a little uncertain as whether they should go or not.

'_Didn't Sora and her go swimming at the island and he ended up dead there? Won't that remind her of the past?'_ As these thoughts ran through his mind, he hadn't even realize they were home.

"I'll meet you back out here in a few!" Kairi said as she ran inside her house.

Kairi came back outside about five minutes later, wearing a bikini top and a pair of ripped jean shorts. Roxas had stepped inside moments before and pulled his swim trunks on and a tight t-shirt over his chest. They headed down to the docks and rented a boat, then headed towards Destiny Islands.

"So many memories here," Kairi whispered, stepping onto the soft sands. "So many good times and bad."

Roxas touched her arm softly and she smiled at him. He was worried whether coming here was a bad idea or something Kairi just had to do. Regardless, Kairi pulled off her jeans and dived into the ocean, she began to swim around and Roxas joined her. As they swam around they hadn't even noticed the storm clouds forming overhead. The only time they noticed was when a clasp of thunder shook through the sky.

"C'mon Kai, let's go sit on the beach." So they both got out and sat on the sands, staring off into the ocean.

"It's so beautiful here, even with the rain and storms that hit." Kairi stared up at the dark sky and sighed. "Sora and I always used to sit here and watch the storms. Every time lightning would hit flash through the sky, he would hold me close. Oh what I would do to have that back…"

Roxas stared at her for a moment. There was a sadness in her eyes, a familiar sadness he had seen when she told him of Sora's death. Remembering her former best friend broke her heart and Roxas understood how she felt.

"Kairi-" But the ground started to shake beneath them.

Roxas pulled Kairi closer to him and they watched as hundreds of heartless pour onto the island and surround them.

"Roxas what will we do?" Kairi whispered.

Roxas looked down at Kairi and spoke softly, "Run."

As Kairi ran inches away from him she turned and watched as two Keyblades appeared in Roxas's hands. He charged at the heartless and began slaying them all as quickly as he could.

"Oh my god." Kairi felt a larger rumble and saw a large familiar heartless appear before Roxas.

It's claws were long and sharp and still stained with blood and the scent of rotting flesh filled the air as Roxas stared up at it. He smiled as the large beast stared down at him and he looked over at Kairi.

"I'm going to send you straight into hell, you freaking murderous beast." And with that Roxas charged straight at the heartless, not even hearing Kairi's cries.

* * *

**A/N: **_I am so evil. lol. I ended it without a battle. 0 hahaha. Oh well. Please **review** and I shall have chapter six up soon. Small **Purpley** Button!_


	6. Till Death Do Us Part

**A/N: **_Well Here It Is. Chapter Six. Some shocking thing's here. I almost cried writing It._

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts Two or the characters... I own the plot and a pack of gum. That's about it. Wait. Exclude the gum._

_**Warning: **Blood. Lot's of it. Be prepared. You have been warned._

"_Roxas what will we do?" Kairi whispered._

_Roxas looked down at Kairi and spoke softly, "Run."_

_As Kairi ran inches away from him she turned and watched as two Keyblades appeared in Roxas's hands. He charged at the heartless and began slaying them all as quickly as he could. _

"_Oh my god." Kairi felt a larger rumble and saw a large familiar heartless appear before Roxas._

_It's claws were long and sharp and still stained with blood and the scent of rotting flesh filled the air as Roxas stared up at it. He smiled as the large beast stared down at him and he looked over at Kairi._

"_I'm going to send you straight into hell, you freaking murderous beast." And with that Roxas charged straight at the heartless, not even hearing Kairi's cries._

--My Sanctuary--

"ROXAS!" Kairi screamed as he brought the Keyblades down upon the heartless's head.

It jumped back and brought it claws downward into Roxas's chest, but he jumped backwards and dodged it. Pulling the two Keyblades together he charged again, but this time shot flames out of the blades. Pushing back, the heartless pointed it's horns to the sky and bolts of lightning shot onto the ground. Roxas headed towards Kairi and used the Keyblades to make a shield around her.

"Roxas, how can you defeat that thing? Sora couldn't even-" She coughed and let tears spill down her cheeks. "He couldn't even do it!"

Roxas looked back at her and grinned. "I'm not Sora."

Lightning was still hitting the ground as Roxas charged at the heartless once more. It stood on it's hind legs and stared down at him, then opened it's mouth and spoke.

"Damn persistent Nobody!" It yelled as it stared down at Roxas.

"It spoke?" Roxas cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Who are you?"

"I a mere heartless. Unnamed without a true identity. Unlike you Roxas… You were a lucky one, born of a Nobody-"

"But I'm not supposed to exist. Heartless exist regardless. They are and ever shall be. Nobodies are an entity shrouded in mystery that no one will ever understand," Roxas paused and felt warm tears sting his eyes. "I was a lucky one. When Sora died I was released out into his world. I met Kairi and I fell in love."

"You cannot feel emotions! Let alone love!" The heartless bellowed. "Nor can I."

"Why did you kill Sora?" Roxas demanded, pointing his Keyblades upward.

"Because, I needed to get rid of the Keyblade master so that heartless could once again rein. I didn't realize his Nobody would come into existence and try to destroy me."

"Roxas, please kill it. Please, Roxas," Kairi whispered.

Her hands were clasped overtop of her head in fear and her body was tense. Tears were still pouring out of her puffy eyes and stifled cries were being held back in her throat. Kairi was an emotional wreck.

"Ah, the girl who was with him when he died. How touching. Here she is with a new lover, whom is going to befall the same fate!" Roxas held back a yelp as a large claw dug deep into his back.

He was thrown across the beach and tumbled onto the sands, where his blood stained the sands lightly. He sat up and stared down at the red sand, then clenched his teeth. Roxas attempted to stand but his strength was slowly disappearing. His blood was flowing from his wound and onto his swim trunks as well as the beach beneath him.

"Roxas!" Kairi managed to scream.

She watched in horror as he looked over at her. Blood was everywhere, within his ruffled blonde hair, across his smooth face, and smeared across his tight chest. When he tried to stand again, Kairi ran over to him and grabbed his arm. She pulled him up with all of her strength but all he could do was stand there.

"Come on Roxas! We have to finish this!" She wrapped her arms around his chest and felt his warm blood fall onto her body. "I love you. I don't want to lose you."

Roxas stared down at her, his eyes shining with the wetness of tears. He kissed her cheek softly and spoke in a hushed whisper in her ear.

"I love you too. I promise I'm going to protect you." He stepped away from her and picked up his Keyblades.

Mustering all his strength, he charged at the heartless again and this time it was brining it's teeth down into him. Roxas jumped backwards and jabbed the Keyblades into it forehead. As he did, a golden light emitted from it and shot throughout it, soon blowing it into pieces. A large heart floated above it and blew apart into tiny ones, that flew up into the sky and disappeared.

Roxas dropped to his knees, gasping for air and Kairi ran over to him.

"See? I told you I would protect you-" Kairi put a soft warm finger to his bloody lips.

"Save your strength."

"Kairi, I don't know if I am going to live through this wound… So if I don't-" He pulled something out of his pocket and smiled.

A hint of silver caught Kairi's eye and she gasped.

"I was going to propose to you, here on the island. We didn't have to get married now, but in a few years I wanted too." He smiled and pushed the ring into her hand. "So take it anyway."

Kairi leaned down to his lips and they kissed, then Roxas closed his eyes and slumped downward.

"Roxas." Kairi clenched her teeth. "Roxas," She tightened her fist with the ring within it and felt more hot tears fall on her face. "ROXAS!"

**End Note: **_This seriousley wanted to make me cry... Chapter seven will be up in a matter of days... Some things will happen for the worst, and for the best. Please review with that wonderful small **purpley** button._


	7. Can't Catch Tomorrow

**A/N: **_I am really getting this story going now. Three chapters in four days... I think that's pretty darned good if I may say so myself. But anyway this chapter is loooonger than the others so enjoy it!_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Kingdom Hearts, COM, or Two. -tear-_

**Warning:**_ Ummm, there is a small amount of blood and stuff lol._

* * *

"_Save your strength."_

"_Kairi, I don't know if I am going to live through this wound… So if I don't-" He pulled something out of his pocket and smiled._

_A hint of silver caught Kairi's eye and she gasped._

"_I was going to propose to you, here on the island. We didn't have to get married now, but in a few years I wanted too." He smiled and pushed the ring into her hand. "So take it anyway."_

_Kairi leaned down to his lips and they kissed, then Roxas closed his eyes and slumped downward._

"_Roxas." Kairi clenched her teeth. "Roxas," She tightened her fist with the ring within it and felt more hot tears fall on her face. "ROXAS!"_

_--_Can't Catch Tomorrow…_--_

The storm had finally hit the island, and rain was pouring onto the beach. Kairi had her face buried into Roxas's motionless chest and was sobbing deeply.

"I can't lose you too…" She whispered into his ear. "I-I can't live without you…"

Kairi looked down at the ring Roxas had given her and read the inscription within it. '_Hold On A Little Tighter, Have No Regrets, Love Forever, Never Want Time To End.' _She rubbed her fingers over the inscription and stared up into the rainy sky.

"I've lost the two people in the world I most cared about. What more is there for me to live-" She felt someone clasp her shoulder and she turned around quickly.

Her eyes widened and she gasped. "Sora!"

"Kairi, I've missed you so much," He wrapped his arms around her.

Kairi squeezed her arms around Sora tightly. '_His hair, his body, his face… He's really here!'_

"Kairi I'm sorry about Roxas's injury…"

"He's dead Sora, just like you." She started to cry again.

Sora wiped the tears from her face and smiled. "You might want to take a look again."

She let go of him and turned around. Roxas was breathing. She lifted his head up and set it on her lap the she caressed his cheek lightly.

"You're alive!"

"Kairi, I-I have to tell you-" He closed his eyes again and his head fell back.

She checked for a pulse and found it, then let out a sigh of relief.

"He's only passed out." She turned back around to tell the news to Sora, but he was gone. "Was he ever really there?"

--Three Days Later--

Roxas was hospitalized because of the deep wound in his back. Kairi had been visiting him everyday and pampering him to make sure he got back up to full health. The doctors had told them that Roxas would be let out in a few weeks because the wound in his back had to be healed before they could let him go.

"Roxas, Today is the first day of summer vacation. You know what? I'm still spending it with you." She smiled and held his hand lightly.

"Kairi go have fun with Selphie and the others. I mean just because I'm here doesn't mean you have to be." Roxas said rubbing her hand with his thumb.

"I know." She smiled again.

"Kairi, Sora brought me back. Somehow…" He closed his eyes remembering the scene that filled his mind the day he was wounded.

'_So take it anyway.'_

_Kairi leaned down to his lips and they kissed, then Roxas closed his eyes and slumped downward._

_Everything went dark and Roxas couldn't feel anything anymore. The pain has disappeared and clearly so had everything else._

'_Is anyone there?' He asked out into the darkness._

'_Well now, this isn't the first time you've been here Roxie.' He turned and came face to face with Sora._

'_Where am I Sora? Where's the island? Where's Kairi?'_

_Sora pointed above him and let out a soft chuckle. 'You're dead Roxas.'_

'_What? That wound killed me?' He looked down at his clothes and saw no blood. 'I want to go back! I don't care about the pain! I can't leave Kairi!'_

_Sora patted his arm and chuckled again. 'So be it.'_

_A golden light emitted from Sora's hand and surrounded Roxas's body. He felt a sharp searing pain in his back and felt blood trickle down it. Looking down at his clothes he saw that once more they were bloodstained._

'_Keep her safe. That's all I ask of you.' Sora said before disappearing._

'_Will do.'_

_Then Roxas's eyes shot open and he saw Kairi hugging Sora. A warm tear fell down his cheek as he watched Kairi pull away and run over to him._

'_You're alive!'_

Roxas sighed as he opened his eyes once more and stared deeply into Kairi's violet ones. She put her arms around him and hugged him lightly.

"We'll be out of here soon Roxas."

"I don't care when I get out of here. As long as I'm with you." Roxas kissed her cheek and she waved good bye for the night.

--The Next Morning--

When Kairi arrived at the hospital the next morning she was shocked to see Roxas walking towards her. He was dressed in the clothes he had been attacked in, but seemed to be fine.

"Hey Kairi! I've been let out early. My wound healed quick enough to where I can leave." Kairi's mouth dropped but she said nothing. "Let's go swim at the beach."

"Oh, Okay? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Roxas nodded. "Let me run home and-"

Roxas shook his head. "We're going in our clothes."

"What? Not my skirt and-" She smiled and shook her head. "Fine."

As they walked towards the beach, they were joined by two other teens.

"Riku! Selphie!" Kairi squealed.

"Hey Kairi. Haven't seen you much." Riku muttered, glaring over at Roxas.

"Well, silly, you did move. But I'm glad you came to visit!" Kairi pulled Selphie into a hug. "Would you two like to come swimming with us?"

Selphie looked up at Riku and he shrugged. "Alright. We'll come."

When the four of them reached the beach, they all got prepared to swim. Roxas and Riku removed their shirts and shorts and jumped right in, boxers and all. Kairi and Selphie began exchanging slight whispers.

"Should we?"

"Of course, they won't expect it!"

The girls turned around and both of them removed their shirts revealing bathing suit tops. Then they peeled their skirts down and showed the bottom half of their bikini's. Kairi's was a light blue with pink splotches while Selphie's was a bright orange with green stripes on it.

"We ended up putting our swimsuits on earlier." Kairi whispered.

"Yeah we were coming swimming anyway." Selphie leapt into the water and splashed Riku in the face.

Riku was paying more attention to Kairi as she stepped into the water, and watched her dip under and come back up. Roxas looked over at him and nudged him in the ribs. Riku looked away from her and blushed. He hadn't realized what he was doing.

"I love the feel of the water," Kairi said before she dunked under once more.

Riku watched her, then quickly dunked under himself. When under he came face to face with Kairi and she smiled at him. He turned his head and soon pressed his lips against hers. She stared at him for a moment then pushed him away. Kairi quickly kicked up to the surface and was followed by Riku.

"What the hell was that?" She asked angrily.

"Spur of the moment?" He muttered.

"You kissed me!"

Selphie stared over at Riku in anger then threw something golden at him.

"Take your damn bracelet back you cheating bastard!" Then she stormed out of the water in anger.

"Selphie wait-" Riku followed her, leaving Roxas and Kairi to swim themselves.

"That was interesting?" Roxas winked.

Then the two of them dunked under the water into the murky mist below. Sharing kisses and the feel of each other's skin as they brushed apart.

* * *

**End Note: **_No it's not a lemon. They're pretty much making out that's all. xP Chapter eight (wow) will be up soon! Be sure and review with that all time wonderful small **purpley** button!_


	8. Mint Mocha, Memories, and Confessions

**A/N: **_Well here is chapter eight. I hope you enjoy, and please, don't hate me for how it turned out. xP_

**Disclaimer: **_Do not own characters or anything. Cept the storyline... HA._

* * *

"_You kissed me!"_

_Selphie stared over at Riku in anger then threw something golden at him._

"_Take your damn bracelet back you cheating bastard!" Then she stormed out of the water in anger._

"_Selphie wait-" Riku followed her, leaving Roxas and Kairi to swim themselves._

"_That was interesting?" Roxas winked._

_Then the two of them dunked under the water into the murky mist below. Sharing kisses and the feel of each other's skin as they brushed apart._

----

Riku was beyond confused. He didn't understand these sudden feelings for Kairi or why he had kissed her.

"What was I thinking?" He was sitting in a small ice cream shop, just towards the edge of the beach. "I'm with Selphie, and I kissed Kai, right then and there."

"Sir, what can I get you?" A tall waitress muttered, holding a small memo book in her hand.

Riku didn't answer, but continued to stare off into the distance.

"SIR!"

"Huh, What? Oh sorry." He shook his head and smiled. "I'll take Mint Mocha."

"Great taste." A whisper behind him spoke.

He jumped and came face to face with Kairi. She was staring at him, a large grin on her face, and for a moment, she looked just like Sora.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you with that kid?" He asked, rolling his eyes.

"You mean Roxas? I told him I was heading over here for ice cream and he said he had to go to some game thing…" She came over to the table he was at and sat down.

"Would you like something too, miss?" The waitress asked, an annoyed tone in her voice.

"Yes. Make that another Mint Mocha." Kairi smiled and the waitress walked off behind the counter.

"Kai, I'm sorry about that, kiss… I don't know what came over me." Riku blushed and looked away from her deep gaze.

"Um it's okay." They looked away from each other until Riku spoke again.

"How have you been…Since, Sora's-" He couldn't find a word to say it. "Passing."

To his surprise, Kairi smiled largely. "I've been great. I mean with Roxas helping me through all of this,"

"Oh." Riku's tone was full of disappointment.

"If I hadn't met him, I probably would have miserable for the rest of my life. No one else in this world can cheer me up as much as he can." When Riku hung his head down she patted it softly. "Next to you of course. It's just since you moved, I haven't seen you all that much."

"Kairi, it seems to me that you don't even give a damn that Sora is dead. You just replaced him with a look alike!" He pounded his fists into the table and Kairi felt hot tears swell up in her eyes.

"I love Sora, I always will! Just because he is gone doesn't mean I can't try to be happy with someone else!" She held her face in her hands and sighed. "I've talked to Sora. He wants me to be happy. And he knows no matter what, that I will never ever forget him."

Riku hung his head once more in shame. He didn't mean his words to be so harsh, but they ended up coming out worse than he had expected.

"You can't speak with someone who's dead Kai," And with that, he left five dollars on the table and walked out of the shop, his eyes filled with tears.

--Later That Night--

Kairi had left the ice cream shop soon after Riku did, but not before drowning her sorrows out in a cone of Mint Mocha. As she headed home, she heard a familiar voice yell out for her.

"Kairi!" It was Roxas, and he was running towards her, without a shirt.

"Um, Roxas? What is it?" She muttered as she stared at his sweat engulfed chest.

"It's Riku. No one can find him. When I came back from my practice, Selphie said she couldn't find him anywhere."

Kairi ran down the street without a word. Roxas cocked his head to the side and followed her a dazed look on his face.

--Stupid--

'_I know Riku well enough to know exactly where he would go to wallow in sadness,' _Kairi thought to herself as she went across the dark ocean in a small boat.

She had told Roxas she would be back soon, so he stayed back at the island with Selphie. Regardless, as she reached the sands of Destiny Islands she stepped upon them and stared at the secret place before her.

"Riku…" She whispered.

Kairi crouched under the many new grown roots of the small passage way to her old hideout and smiled. There he was, sitting on a rock, his head hung onto the side of his knees.

'_Same old Riku-'_ He looked up and stared off into the dark entrance, unaware of Kairi's presence. '_Or not. He so much taller than those years ago… His hair is so long… His eyes so green-'_ Kairi cut herself off and shook her head.

"Kairi," She heard Riku whisper. "Why do I suddenly have such feelings for you? I've always loved you as a sister… I've never had these feelings for you that I have now…"

Riku stood up and touched the small drawing on the stone wall beside him. It was the drawing Kairi and Sora had drawn so long ago.

"You, me, and Sora were inseparable. We did everything together, at least until I moved. Then everything changed. I got news that Sora had died-" He pulled his hand away and clutched it to his chest. "I knew you were so hurt that I didn't know what to do for you. I was scared for you Kai. And now I haven't seen you in so long and that last encounter, I just instinctively kissed you."

"Riku," Kairi whispered.

He looked over in the direction the voice had spoken and he gasped. "Kairi!"

She walked out of the dark shadows and looked towards the floor. Riku walked over to her and tilted her head upright to face him. He bit his lip and spoke softly into her ear,

"Kai, I love you."

Her eyes widened in shock as her best friend spoke the words she thought she would never hear in a lifetime.

"Riku, I can't." She muttered, turning her face away from his gaze. "I can't love you."

"I know."

Riku stared at the side of her face before she turned to look at him again.

'_Maybe I could just-' _But before she finished her thoughts, she had already pressed her lips against his.

When the two broke apart, Riku pressed Kairi into a tight hug. Not knowing what to do, Kairi decided she needed to wrap her arms around him as well. Riku patted her head softly and whispered into her ear,

"Roxas."

* * *

**End Note: **_Well there you have it. I left it at a cliffy. Bwahahahahaha. Be sure and review with that oh so wonderfull purpley button!_


	9. Kiss And Tell

**A/N: **_Well I guess this is where it get's confusering. Ha. Well chapter ten shall be up soon. But my writing may be less frequent since school starts Tuesday. Blehhh._

**Disclaimer: **_I hate these. I don't own Kingdom Hearts or it's characters... Geeze._

* * *

"_Riku, I can't." She muttered, turning her face away from his gaze. "I can't love you."_

"_I know."_

_Riku stared at the side of her face before she turned to look at him again._

'_Maybe I could just-' But before she finished her thoughts, she had already pressed her lips against his._

_When the two broke apart, Riku pressed Kairi into a tight hug. Not knowing what to do, Kairi decided she needed to wrap her arms around him as well. Riku patted her head softly and whispered into her ear,_

"_Roxas."_

_----_

"Man Kai, How long does it take to go find someone in a little cave?" Roxas looked at his watch and sighed.

She had gone across to the island forty-five minutes ago and he was beginning to worry.

"Okay that's it! I'm going and bringing them back," He went to the docks and rented a boat.

When he reached the island, he crept into the dark cave where he knew Riku and Kairi were, but what he found, was something he never thought he'd see.

" Kai, I love you." Riku whispered into her ear softly.

"Riku, I can't." She muttered, turning her face away from his gaze. "I can't love you."

"I know."

Roxas watched as Riku stared at the side of her face before she turned and caught his gaze. Before he knew it, Kairi had pressed her lips against Riku's. Apparently no one had realized he was there yet because both of them wrapped their arms around each other and pulled into a tight hug. He watched as Riku looked up and caught his gaze and he patted Kairi's head before whispering into her ear,

"Roxas."

She shot upright and turned around. "Oh my god-"

Roxas felt hot tears sting to his eyes as he watched Kairi step towards him. He shook his head and looked away.

"Kairi, How could you?" He turned away from them and ran down the beach and to his boat.

When he reached it, he went to leap into it but he missed and fell into the shallow waters of the shore. He pushed out and swam to the deeper waters where he dunked under and decided he wasn't coming up. As he choked for air, he heard a voice call out his name.

'Roxas,' He looked around and a hint of blue caught his eyes.

"Thoraaa-" But he was cut off by lack of oxygen and everything went black.

----

"Roxas wake up." A voice spoke softly and his eyes fluttered open.

"Sora?" He asked, staring up into the eyes of the deceased teen. "Sora… Kairi-She-Riku…"

"I know." He sighed deeply and watched as Roxas sat up. "I don't know what to tell you here Roxas. She cheated on you. She kissed another guy… She kissed Riku."

Roxas stared around him and realized he was still under the ocean, but was encased in some sort of bubble. He let small tears pour down his cheeks and he sighed.

"Sora I love her… What am I supposed to do?" He held his head with his arms and sobbed.

"I love her too Roxas, but Kairi got herself in deep this time. She cheated on you and nothing can forgive that." Sora folded his arms across his chest. "So this is something only you can handle on your own. Good bye Roxas, and good luck."

Before Roxas could say anything more, the bubble of air disappeared. Roxas kicked up to the surface as fast as he could, but once again ran out of breath. As his eye's began fluttering closed he saw a hand pull him up and he smiled.

"Aiiiiiriii-" He muttered and once more blacked out.

----

"Is he going to be okay?"

"We're not sure. You say he blacked out twice?" Kairi nodded. "Well it seems the second time, his lungs filled up with too much water and now he can't breath on his own. It also seems he sprained his leg, probably from trying to kick up to the surface too quickly."

"Is he going to wake up anytime soon?" Kairi asked, wiping a tear from her eye.

"We're not sure. But we'll do all we can to bring him back to full health." The doctor waved and walked out of the room.

Kairi stared at Roxas's pale face and sighed. She had brought him here last night when she had found him passed out in the ocean. He hadn't opened his eye's since and had a tube down his throat to help him breath. If she hadn't found him, he would have drowned and died.

"All because of **her**." Kairi mumbled.

'Me?' A soft voice spoke from beside her.

She turned and came face to face with another girl, a pale skinned blond. A sketchpad was laid across her lap and a small charcoal pencil was set in her right hand. She stared into Kairi's eye's and sneered lightly.

"You're still mad because of the Riku incident?" Kairi grabbed a knife near Roxas's bed and grinned. "Ah yes, of course you are."

"Naminé!" Kairi plunged the knife into the girls shoulder and watched as blood slipped down her arms and onto the floor below.

"You forget. True Nobodies cannot feel pain." Naminé spoke softly and wiped the blood onto her hand and smiled. "I am still part of you. Not like Roxas who was separated from the dearly departed Sora…"

Kairi dropped the knife and pressed her hands across her mouth. "I hate you Naminé! You screwed everything up between Roxas and I! You made something inside me want to kiss Riku-"

"Come on Kairi, don't kid yourself. You know you wanted to do it… ever since you were little you had a crush on both Sora and Riku." Naminé began to sketch lightly. "But as you grew, your feelings for Sora exceeded and your crush became love."

"I never loved Riku though. I had a small crush that disappeared after Sora and I went through our adventures…"

"But I love him." Kairi's eye's widened and she shook her head. "I used to be in love with that thing," Naminé muttered pointing over to Roxas.

"That's how he recognized me… I resembled you!" Kairi held her head in her hands and sighed.

"You're lucky you know. Never having to worry about just disappearing… Feeling emotions." Naminé tucked her sketchbook under her feet and smiled lightly. "So therefore, You are going to be me."

Kairi's eyes widened as a bright light eclipsed from Naminé's hand and surrounded her body. She felt her breathing stop and her body fall forward, then everything went black. When she opened her eye's, she was no longer feeling anything. Her sadness had lifted, her smile's disappeared.

"I don't **_feel _**anything-" Kairi whispered.

Looking around her, Kairi realized Naminé was gone, but her sketchpad was now lain across Roxas's bed. She picked it up and opened to the first page where a drawing of Sora faced her. Smiling, she turned a few page's ahead where a picture of Roxas was, a note scribbled beside it.

'_Kairi, Feel what it's like to be one of us. One without a heart. Only you can bring back that which you have lost-'_

"Naminé," Kairi stared at Roxas's motionless body, then laid the sketchbook across it again. "I'm sorry Roxas. But I need to find-"

She stared out of the window and spoke softly, "My heart."

* * *

**End Note: **_Well now, If you can figure this all out... Ha. I get it, and hopefully you will too. I looooove all you reviewers! Be sure and hit that small **purpley **button again and review some more!_


	10. Believe Me About Yesterday

**Authors Note: **_Well here it is! The very long awaited Chapter 10! The story is diminishing into it's last few chapters now. I have two or three more planned and that's it. Depending on how well the ending goes, I may make a sequel. But things are getting more complicated now. Ha, and I realized I said in the first chapter about Johnny Depp dying... I cursed it... Jack, Noooooo!_

**Disclaimer: **_I own no Kingdom Hearts stuff... Grrrr._

_

* * *

_

_Kairi's eyes widened as a bright light eclipsed from Naminé's hand and surrounded her body. She felt her breathing stop and her body fall forward, then everything went black. When she opened her eye's, she was no longer feeling anything. Her sadness had lifted, her smile's disappeared. _

"_I don't **feel **anything-" Kairi whispered. _

_Looking around her, Kairi realized Naminé was gone, but her sketchpad was now lain across Roxas's bed. She picked it up and opened to the first page where a drawing of Sora faced her. Smiling, she turned a few page's ahead where a picture of Roxas was, a note scribbled beside it. _

'_Kairi, Feel what it's like to be one of us. One without a heart. Only you can bring back that which you have lost-'_

"_Naminé," Kairi stared at Roxas's motionless body, then laid the sketchbook across it again. "I'm sorry Roxas. But I need to find-"_

_She stared out of the window and spoke softly, "My heart."_

----

Sunlight was pouring into the hospital room as Roxas sat up and yawned. He blinked confusedly before finally realizing where he was.

"Damn, the hospital needs to stop coloring it's walls this ugly brown." Roxas looked down at his lap and cocked his head to the side. "Naminé's sketchpad?"

He stared at the light tan book and shook his head. "How did I know who's this was?"

Opening to the page where Naminé's note was, he realized Kairi's writing was below it.

'_Roxas; Sorry I left you… I can't explain to you right now, but I have to search for something. Naminé stole it from me and I have to get it back-' _A smudge crossed the next few words and Roxas couldn't make them out. '_The kiss with Riku was **her **doing- Kairi.'_

He smiled as he saw a small heart scribbled near her name and he set the sketchpad down. Stepping out of the bed, he felt his leg throb a bit, but not to where he couldn't use it. The door to his room opened and a short blond haired girl came walking in, a frown set across her lips.

"You must sit down Roxas!" He cocked his head to the side.

"How did you know my name?"

"Roxie…" The girl smiled and walked over to him. "I've known you for a long time-"

Pushing him down, she pressed her lips against his and he watched as a light surrounded her. The little girl that was there disappeared and in her place stood a taller blond. Roxas pushed her back and his eyes widened in horror.

"Naminé!" He wiped the kiss from his lips and stood once more. "What did you take from Kairi!"

Naminé smirked and grabbed his hand, leading it to the point where it was level with her chest. Pressing his hand against her, he watched as a small glow emitted from where her heart **should **have been.

"You took her heart… But why? This isn't like you!" Roxas pulled his hand away.

"I want to exist Roxas… Not be a figment part of someone's self. I'm tired of being Kairi's shadow and it's time for her to see how it feels not to be real." She grabbed Roxas's hand and placed it onto hers. "I wanted to be able to feel you touch me again."

He forced his hand back and Naminé turned away from him. "I can't be with you again. I have Kairi."

"You know you still love me!" She flung her arms around his neck and caused him to fall to the ground. A single tear fell down Naminé's cheek as she felt Roxas's warmth fill her body. "I love you."

Roxas held his hand to his chest and sighed deeply. He wrapped his arms around Naminé and let a smile creep across his lips. She wrapped her arms around him and they sat in each others arms for a few moments.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Me too." Naminé said as a light elapsed her body. "I'm sorry I can no longer be what you want."

He was silent for a moment but looked to the floor as she spoke again.

"I'm not going to give up that easily."

Roxas watched as she disappeared into the light that surrounded her, and he opened the window to his room. Clasping the sides of the window, he hopped out of it and ran down the street in search of Kairi.

----

'_Where am I?'_

'_Kairi?' The voice echoed through her mind softly and she smiled._

'_I'd know that voice anywhere…' She turned and watched a familiar figure walk towards her. 'Sora!'_

'_Guess again-'_

Kairi's eye's shot open and she stared at the figure before her and sighed. "Roxas,"

"I understand Kairi, what happened, all of it." He held her hand in his for a moment, then leaned close to her face. "I love you."

As he stared into her eyes he realized she felt nothing for him right now. All the love that she had with him was gone… making it clear that she could never be with him again. He pulled his hand back and backed away slowly, and Kairi hung her head sadly.

"Roxas, you don't understand. I love you… but I love somebody else." The words caused him to fall to his knees and hold his face in his hands… "You can't replace Sora. No matter how much I want you too. I tried to fit you into my heart and no matter how much I tried it didn't work. This whole Naminé thing made me realize that one thing only matters to me-"

Roxas put a warm finger to her lips and caused her to stop speaking. He hung his head towards the ground and spoke quietly.

"This was a mistake. I should never have come over here… I should have stayed with Sora… given him a chance to live…" Kairi's eyes widened and she stepped back.

"What do you mean?"

"I left Sora when he was dying. I was gone when you were holding him in your arms. If I had stayed with him, he might have been here now."

Kairi's eyes swelled with tears and she clamped her hands tightly as Roxas stepped towards her.

"Don't come near me." She whispered.

"Kairi please--"

"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Kairi turned away from him and ran down the shoreline towards the water, kicking up sand as she went. "He killed Sora…"

Kairi dropped to her knees as she hit the water, forgetting to take a breath before her head went under. She struggled for a moment, then let a final thought flash through her mind.

'_What else do I have to live for now…?'_

As the air left her lungs, she felt herself being pulled back by an arm around her waist. She closed her eyes and let herself black out, not caring about anything but the fact that she could now breathe.

----

He stared at the delicate features of her face and smiled, lightly touching her soft pink lips. A sigh exerted from his lips and he let his hand rest onto her stomach. With his other hand he pushed back a loose piece of his hair back into it's place, then, he let it rest on her shoulder.

"Kairi, what has become of you?" She stirred, her eyes fluttering open, staring into the eyes of her rescuer.

"Mm… who's there?" She wiped at her eyes and got a clearer picture of who was staring back at her. "Riku?"

"What were you thinking? Jumping into the ocean like that? You could have died." His words were scolding, but yet soft. "Then what would I have done?"

Kairi sat up and looked to the ground. "It's not like it would have mattered anyway. I don't need to be here, alive anymore…" She felt a tear drip down her cheek. "Roxas left Sora while he was dying. If he had stayed, Sora could have lived."

"But Kairi… Roxas loves you-" He wiped the tear off her cheek and smiled. "Just like I do."

"It doesn't matter to me anyway. I can't feel any emotions… pain, love, lust, sadness… nothing. Damn Naminé-" She coughed lightly. "All I want is my heart back."

"She wants Roxas back."

"I kind of figured that… but what's it matter to me now? She can have him. All I want is--"

"Sora, yes I know." Riku let his hands fall into his lap and his head hang. "But he's dead Kairi."

"Not to me he isn't!" Kairi felt an anger swell into her chest. "When someone you love dies, you don't just act like their dead. They're still a part of you, living in your heart… being there for you when you need them most-"

Riku stared at Kairi for a moment before speaking again. "You just got angry at me."

"You're poi-" She stopped in the middle of her sentence and stared at him. "You're right… that means…"

"You're heart has to be back."

Suddenly a sinking feeling filled Kairi's chest and she pictured Roxas's face in her mind. "I have to find him-"

Kairi charged out of the room Riku had her in, but was stopped when she realized she wasn't in Riku's house. The thought dawned over her and she turned around facing Riku, a look of terror on her face.

"This is Sora's house." She muttered.

"Yes. Yes it is." Riku stepped towards her, grabbing her arm, and laying a kiss on it.

Kairi watched as his mouth crept towards her, and she felt herself being pushed towards him. Their lips met in a powerful kiss, and Riku's lips didn't feel like his own. A glow followed his body as suddenly he wasn't standing there anymore… a younger looking boy was standing in his place. His floppy brown hair surrounded his childlike face, and a large grin was set across his lips as they parted.

Kairi's eyes widened and she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Sora, it's really you…"

* * *

**End Note: **_Well Chapter 11 I am working on so hopefully it will be up soon. I hope you don't get confused, and believe me, everything will be explained in the end. Please review with the purple (or white) button on your page!_


	11. Fading Forever

**Authors Note:** _It's not a long chapter, but 12 will be. D I promise! But I just got fanfiction back on my computer, so I got it on here... everything is getting confusing in here too... let' see if you can piece it together!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own KH... now I am sad... hah.**

_

* * *

__Suddenly a sinking feeling filled Kairi's chest and she pictured Roxas's face in her mind. "I have to find him-"_

_Kairi charged out of the room Riku had her in, but was stopped when she realized she wasn't in Riku's house. The thought dawned over her and she turned around facing Riku, a look of terror on her face. _

"_This is Sora's house." She muttered._

"_Yes. Yes it is." Riku stepped towards her, grabbing her arm, and laying a kiss on it. _

_Kairi watched as his mouth crept towards her, and she felt herself being pushed towards him. Their lips met in a powerful kiss, and Riku's lips didn't feel like his own. A glow followed his body as suddenly he wasn't standing there anymore… a younger looking boy was standing in his place. His floppy brown hair surrounded his childlike face, and a large grin was set across his lips as they parted._

_Kairi's eyes widened and she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Sora, it's really you…"_

----

Eyes swelling with tears, Kairi forced herself to back away from Sora for a moment, taking in the image of his cherubic face. He was still smiling at her, and Kairi didn't understand for a moment… why was he standing here? He wasn't dead… and this wasn't one of those visions she and Roxas had always had.

"Of course it's me Kairi, I mean, who else would it be?" Sora said, a slight chuckle in his voice.

"I don't understand… how are you alive?" She pressed her hands together and let them fall in front of her. "How could you come back?"

"Well, think about it for a minute. You wanted me alive, you turned down Roxas and tried to die…" Sora scratched his head and sat down in a nearby chair. "Roxas is fading Kairi. He's doing it for you, because he cares about you so much."

"Fading? Like… dying?" Sora looked away for a moment and she clasped her hands over her mouth. "He c-can't. I don't want to lose him!"

"All you kept saying was how much you wanted me back Kairi… why would you want something not even remotely real!?" Sora slammed his hand down on the arm of the chair. "I spend so many days alone Kairi… keeping myself attached to this world, for you."

Kairi had backed towards the door in Sora's rage, and attempted to turn the knob. "Attached here? So you stayed here because of me?"

Sora nodded lightly. "My love for you kept me here on the earth. I couldn't bear to leave you…" He stepped towards her and grabbed her arm. "And the first chance I felt doubt in Roxas, I knew I could take over his place."

Kairi tried to pull away from his grip but he held even tighter onto her and she yelped out in pain.

'_Sora… what's become of you?'_ Kairi thought as tears poured down her cheeks. _'Where's the Sora I've always loved?'_

"Sora stop!" Kairi yelled, finally breaking free of his grasp.

"But Kairi, I love you."

"You're not the same Sora I fell in love with." She rubbed her arm, a red spot appearing where his hand had grabbed her. "I love Roxas… and I'm sorry that I ever forced him away from me…"

"So me coming back to you was a complete and utter mistake?" Anger flared in his eyes and she stepped back in upmost terror.

"Roxas is nothing! I was a real live person Kairi, the first person to love you... the first person to save you... the first to kiss you-"

"No Sora." She pulled the door open and sighed. "I've made too many mistakes, and it's time i fix them."

----

_'Kairi-- i'm so sorry,' _

"Roxas!"

_'I didn't deserve to love you... I guess i was meant to never exist at all-'_

"Roxas please,"

_'Who's there? Who can I hear through this darkness?'_

Kairi watched as his crystallized eyes slowly fluttered open and he looked up at her a soft frown across his lips. He reached towards her fce and caressed her cheek lightly, but then turned away from her and let his hand fall.

"You came back... but i thought you wanted Sora?" He whispered.

"Naminé took my heart from me, and i didn't get it back until i had lost you," Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I don't want to lose you. I can't be without you."

"Kairi," Roxas smiled and she smiled a little bit as well. "I'm fading. I can't survive much longer... so this is going to have to be our good bye."

"No! You can't make me say good bye! You can't! Roxas please don't!" Kairi started to shake and sob more and more until Roxas leaned up and pressed his lips soflty against hers. When they parted, Roxas smiled again, then his eyes began to shut and he fell backwards...

Time slowed as he fell back... and his lips slowly formed into two words... the last Kairi ever heard--

_**"Never Forget,"**_

* * *

**A/N: for once in my life i have nothing to say about this chapter, except... awww. roxie. be ready for chapter 12!**


	12. You're Too Beautiful To Cry, Kai

_**Authors Note: **I am very proud to have finished the chapter in like, three days. I mean everything is piecing together, and i looooove it. But yeah there should only be a few more chapters so keep updated!_

* * *

_"__Naminé took my heart from me, and i didn't get it back until i had lost you," Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I don't want to lose you. I can't be without you."_

_"Kairi," Roxas smiled and she smiled a little bit as well. "I'm fading. I can't survive much longer... so this is going to have to be our good bye."_

_"No! You can't make me say good bye! You can't! Roxas please don't!" Kairi started to shake and sob more and more until Roxas leaned up and pressed his lips soflty against hers. When they parted, Roxas smiled again, then his eyes began to shut and he fell backwards..._

_Time slowed as he fell back... and his lips slowly formed into two words... the last Kairi ever heard--_

_**"Never Forget,"**_

**- -**faded** - -**

Kairi sobbed as she watched Roxas stop breathing, watching as his face became drained of all color. He was gone, truly and completely gone this time... and nothing could ever bring him back. Naminé had gotten what she had wanted, she had gotten back her Roxas... and Kairi was left with an empty shell of nothingness. Sora wasn't even himself any longer... and she couldn't bring herself to find Riku and Selphie... life was over.

"Nothing is ever worth living for." Kairi whispered, staring at Roxas's perfectedly sculptured face. "And even if you find something... you'll lose it anyway-"

_**"I was going to propose to you, here on the island,"**_

Kairi gasped, remembering his words from the last time he had almost left her... so she pulled the ring from her finger and smiled lightly.

"I never got to say yes-" She rubbed the inscription then let Roxas's head lightly fall into her lap. "I wanted to be with him forever... but i was too late..."

Roxas's body suddenley started to glow, and Kairi watched through teared eyes as his body dissapeared before her into a burst of light...

Roxas was gone, and this time he wasn't coming back.

--A few months later--

"Kairi are you okay? You've seemed kind down since Roxas moved..." Selphie whispered lightly.

"..." Kairi stared ahead of her as they sat on the sands of Destiny Islands, as their feet were slightly dampened by the cool waters of the shoreline.

"Kairi... can't you tell me what happened before he left? I'm supposed to be your best friend! I'm supposed to know."

_'Even if I could tell you, I wouldn't Selph... it's too hard for me to remember any of this... Roxas is gone... and Sora disappeared after I came back. I have nothing but you and Riku now... and even Riku isn't around anymore.'_

"Kairi please talk to me,"

She turned her head to look over at Selphie and she realized... Selphie was it. The only person she had left was her, and she couldn't even tell her about Roxas--

Kairi shook her head and stood, turning away from Selphie she whispered,

"I'll see you later."

Kairi then resorted to going to the "secret place" she had been in so many times through her childhood, the place Riku had kissed her... where Naminé struck back at her... where she officially lost Roxas. As she stepped into the cavern, she looked at the familiar drawings on the walls and couldn't help but crack a slight grin, because as she reached the end of it, there was her and Sora's drawings, and the paupu fruits given to each other. Then Kairi kneeled and in an empty space, she drew another picture, a boy with spiked hair, and a skateboard beside him... and then she drew herself... beside him and a heart between the two...

inscripted inside: _**R&K Forever**_

Sitting back, Kairi let her head hang as she fiddled with the laces in her dress, wishing that time could be rewritten... and then maybe he would still be alive with her today.

"Sora you never told me why you came back."

"I never thought I had too-" She looked to the opening and saw the familiar spiked hair and shook her head.

"You're not the same Sora I fell in love with those few years ago." Kairi tightened her hands into fists. "You took Roxas away from me so that you could exist once more."

"You kept my spirit here Kai, you wanted me back, you begged me to not leave you, so I stayed for you." Sora sat on a rock beside her. "I have had so much anger built up inside of myself since I died... fighting that heartless was the last thing I did... except when I kissed you good bye-"

"Sora, I never forgot you, never for a second, I never meant to keep you attached to this world... I never meant for you to build up so much rage." Kairi looked over at him, tears clinging to her eyes. "I wanted you to rest in peace, knowing your best friend and the person who loved you... would never forget you."

"I tried my hardest to stay with you, fighting every law that permits a spirit to communicate with the living, so I used Roxas. Since he was a Nobody, I could speak through him, and because of Naminé in you, you could see and hear me as well... but then she split off from you out of jealousy. That caused the whole Riku scene." Sora twiddled his thumbs. "When you picked me over Roxas, his spirit was weak, and I pushed myself into his body, then I took over Riku's when Roxas became too weak. Roxas's last spirit became my full strength."

"What happened to Riku?"

"I needed a body to stay whole, so why not use my best friends?" Sora smiled and grabbed Kairi's hand lightly. "I did everything I could so I could be here with you."

"Sora this wasn't the right way to do this. Where's the caring Sora? The one who would do anything to save anyone other than himself?!" Kairi screamed pulling her hand away.

"That Sora died that night on the beach, Kai."

"You know this wasn't right Sora... please release Riku... please do this the right way!" She stood and closed her eyes, turning away from him.

"Y-you don't want me here anymore?" Sora's voice was shocked as he stood beside Kairi.

"Not like this." She turned and faced him, staring into his oceanic orbs, looking at him soft perked lips, and spiked hair...

Sora wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to his chest. Kairi felt his heartbeat through her hair, and she then felt it slow down, to a dead beat... a heart of nothiness. She looked up at Sora and saw him grin that traditional grin he always wore, then he pulled away from her and spoke softly.

"You're right. I manipulated people so I could come back to you, making it completely unfair to you, Roxas, Riku, even myself. I want to be the Sora you fell in love with again. The Sora who cares about you, even if he can't be with you anymore. The Sora who's happy to see you be happy, even if it's with someone else."

"So you're going back?" Kairi asked, wrapping her arms across her chest.

"Yes. I'm going to make this all the way it should be again." With that, Sora's body began to glow a bright white, and soon, he was gone in a blinding flash of light, and in his place was Riku, pale and wobbley, but there. Kairi caught him before he fell, but continued to watch the glowing form of Sora before her.

"Remember Kairi, if you ever need me... you know where to find me."

Then he was gone.

Kairi looked down at Riku and saw his eyes begin to flutter open. He sat up and scratched his head, then looked over at Kairi, a very dazed look on his face.

"What happened?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She smiled, but couldn't help but still feel empty inside.

Sora had left... but that didn't mean Roxas was alive. Kairi stood up and stretched her arms out, then hung her head in sadness, and she felt her eyes begin to water again. Wiping the tears away, she sniffled and looked over at Riku who smiled up at her.

_'You're too beautiful to cry Kai,'_

She whipped around to see where the voice had come from, but no one was there, nothing was there except the darkness. Kairi sighed once more until a thought hit her... something Sora had said.

_**"The Sora who's happy to see you be happy, even if it's with someone else"**_

Someone else.

Roxas.

* * *

**A/N: **_Be prepared for next chapter D it's gonna rock! Also please **review**!_


	13. A Nobody Cannot Love

**Authors Note: **_I finally got chapter 13 up. Yay me! And haha, I just beat Kingdom Hearts 2, after like what, having it for almost two years. Oh wait, this is coming from the girl who took **3** years to beat Kingdom Hearts. Haha. I hope you like this._

**Disclaimer: **_(insert "does not own Kingdom Hearts" here)_

_

* * *

_

_Sora had left... but that didn't mean Roxas was alive. Kairi stood up and stretched her arms out, then hung her head in sadness, and she felt her eyes begin to water again. Wiping the tears away, she sniffled and looked over at Riku who smiled up at her._

_'You're too beautiful to cry Kai,'_

_She whipped around to see where the voice had come from, but no one was there, nothing was there except the darkness. Kairi sighed once more until a thought hit her... something Sora had said._

_**"The Sora who's happy to see you be happy, even if it's with someone else"**_

_Someone else._

_Roxas._

----

"How could I not have realized it sooner?" Without another word, Kairi charged out of the cavern, leaving a still very confused Riku behind.

When she had reached the light at the end of the tunnel, she squinted at the bright sunlight filling her now delicate eyes. In a moment, she realized someone was standing on the shoreline, staring at the open sea, but she couldn't make out who it was. As she stepped out of the "secret place" completely, she felt her foot catch on a something, and she began to fall face first into the sand, but before she did, someone caught her and pulled her away from the sandy ground.

"You always were quite the clumsy one Kairi." She went to look up at the person who caught her, but they were gone, and she had fallen onto her knees when they had let her go.

"Was anyone even there?" Kairi held her head, then remembered why she had come outside in the first place. "Roxas!"

Kairi ran down the beach, no one hearing the frantic steps she took as she searched for her missing love.

--Nightfall--

Night had fallen over the sanded beaches of Destiny Island's, as Kairi continued to frantically search for Roxas... but she found no one. Even RIku had left the island... Kairi shook her head sadly. She wasn't giving up, even if it took forever to find Roxas.

"I love him too much to stop searching-" Kairi rubbed her eyes as tears formed in them again.

She couldn't stop them anymore, the tears would be permanent if she couldn't find Roxas again. It was decided in her mind that she couldn't live without him, and that wasn't ever going to change. As she sobbed on the shoreline, a voice called out from behind her, softly, as it had the first time.

"You're too beautiful to cry Kai,"

She turned her head, and this time, someone was actually there, perched against a tree, his hand brushing through his spiked blonde hair. She studied the way his body perfectly arched into the tree as he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. When he noticed her staring at him, he winked a single one of his oceanic blue eyes and grinned towards her, and Kairi felt her heart flip in her chest instantly.

It was Roxas.

Kairi rubbed her eyes and looked again, and he was still there, he hadn't left yet, does that mean he was truly there this time?

"R-Roxas?" Kairi managed to squeak out of her mouth.

"Don't cry anymore Kairi, I can't see you in pain any longer," Roxas smiled and opened his arms up in the air, waiting for Kairi.

"Roxas!" Kairi ran over to him and leapt into his arms, and she just let every tear, every bit of sadness out of her, as he held her crying in his arms. "You came back!"

"Yes, I did. When Sora came back into the spirit world, I talked to him, and he explained to me why he left... but I wasn't sure if I was able to come back. My life force that had been sustaining me had been drained away by Sora."

"But you're back now!" Kairi hugged him tightly, but Roxas shook his head.

"No Kairi," He stepped away from her and sighed. "I'm not. I'm a Nobody again. I don't exist anymore."

"You don't have a heart anymore... you're an empty shell," Kairi whispered under her breath.

"I could come back you see, but only if I agreed to become my former self, a Nobody once more. Except this time, I don't have my other half to join into as one. It's just me, and Naminé now..."

Kairi tightened her hands into fists and glared at Roxas.

"She is still a part of you Kairi. You can't stop that-"

"She caused all of this, she caused me to kiss Riku, she pushed you away from me, and now I don't have you anymore-"

"Naminé doesn't control you Kairi, just remember that." Roxas smiled and turned away from her.

"I love you Roxas, please don't leave me!" Kairi yelled as he began to step away from her.

"I wish I could tell you I love you and actually mean it." With that, he dissapeared into the darkness before them, and all Kairi sat back on the sands, staring at the ocean before her.

----

_'Kairi, why is it that fate tries to keep us apart? Are we truly destined to have to always fight to be together?' Sora frowned and looked over at Kairi face, a large grin plastered across it._

_'You ask to many questions Sora.' Kairi turned away from him and sighed deeply. 'You have to leave again soon. You and Riku both, and I'm going to be stuck here all over again,'_

_'I'm not leaving you behind this time Kairi. You're perfectley capable of fighting,' Sora set his head on her shoulder and whispered, 'But I promise I'll always protect you.'_

"You really did love him, didn't you?"

"Naminé, why would you care?" Kairi muttered, her head hung down, her arms clung to her knees.

"There was a time, when I thought Roxas and I would be together forever, when you and Sora were... but then he died, and I wasn't able to connect with Roxas any longer. He _**forgot**_ me. He forgot what he was, and he became human in Sora's place. He is still half of Sora. Half of who you really loved in the first place." Naminé crouched in front of Kairi and sighed. "All I wanted was to be with him, because, I loved him too... or did I? Was it possible for me to ever love to begin with? He wanted you, and I tried manipulation to get him... I caused him to lose you. You to lose him."

"What are you saying?" Kairi brought her head up and met Naminé's eyes.

"I'm going to fix what I've done."

* * *

**Authors Note:** _Chapter 14 is going to be my longest chapter yet, so it will take awhile to type it up, so have patience with me! And **please** review with that oh so wonderful **purpley button!**_


	14. Rewound

**Authors Note: **_Ah, well, this chapter took a little more time to type up, because I made it a bit longer than most chapters... and with my computer malfunctioning... haha. But hey I have a new screen so it's all good. I am starting chapter 15 today, and I think it's either the last or second to last one... but yeah, I hope you all don't get confused by this chapter, okay? Read on and enjoy!_

**Disclaimer: **_(insert "once again does not own Kingdom Hearts)_

* * *

_"You really did love him, didn't you?"_

_"Naminé, why would you care?" Kairi muttered, her head hung down, her arms clung to her knees._

_"There was a time, when I thought Roxas and I would be together forever, when you and Sora were... but then he died, and I wasn't able to connect with Roxas any longer. He __**forgot**__ me. He forgot what he was, and he became human in Sora's place. He is still half of Sora. Half of who you really loved in the first place." Naminé crouched in front of Kairi and sighed. "All I wanted was to be with him, because, I loved him too... or did I? Was it possible for me to ever love to begin with? He wanted you, and I tried manipulation to get him... I caused him to lose you. You to lose him."_

_"What are you saying?" Kairi brought her head up and met Naminé's eyes._

_"I'm going to fix what I've done."_

----

"How can you fix something that's already done with? You cannot change the past Naminé, even you know that." Kairi held her gaze with Naminé for quite some time, but her blue eyes were too much for her to stare into right now... they looked too much like Roxas's.

"I can try." Naminé smiled up at Kairi and stood, holding her hands together tightly in front of her. "If I have the power to manipulate people's memories, then maybe I can manipulate time itself,"

Kairi watched in awe as Naminé's hands began to glow, and a dark circle appeared before here, then she turned to Kairi and smiled. "Perhaps this should be my apology gift to you Kairi."

Then she was gone.

Staring at the portal before her, Kairi was hesitant as to stepping within it, but then she felt the pain sting her heart, and she jumped in without another second thought.

----

"Where do I have to go now? I cannot return to the darkness again, I just can't..." Roxas whispered. "I can't do that to Kairi. I can't go back into the Organization-"

A familiar feeling came over Roxas, and he looked behind him. There was a portal, one very much like the ones the Organization used to move around from place to place... but this one seemed different... As he thought to himself, and auburn haired girl came flying towards him, knocking him backwards. She coughed and sat up, staring down at him, a smile across her lips.

'Roxas!' She mouthed, but no words came out... and suddenley, he began to fade into nothingness, but this time Kairi grabbed his arm, and wouldn't let go. 'If you're going, then this time I'm coming with you,'

As they fell into the abyss before them, Kairi felt a sharp sting in her chest, and watched as Naminé fell beside her, like they were two completely different people. She reached out towards her but couldn't grab her, but she watched Naminé's lips move lightly.

'We're going back Kairi, to give Roxas a second try at life. I mean, there has to be at least one Key Bearer out there, right?' She smiled and dissappeared, as Kairi and Roxas fell deeper into the darkness...

----

The scent of the beach filled Kairi's nose as she fluttered her violet eyes open lightly. She sat up, holding her head, and she looked around, studying her surroundings. The familiar feel of the sand beneath her hands, and the view of the ocean before her... She was home. She was back on Destiny Islands again.

"I'm right back where I started from." She muttered, pushing a piece of hair from her face.

"What do you mean Kairi?" She looked over to her right, and there, perched upright, sipping on a glass of water, was Roxas. The whole scene they were in looked completely familiar... and Kairi realized... this was the night Roxas had almost died, when he was attacked by the same heartless Sora had been.

"Oh sorry, talking to myself." She pulled her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"K-Kairi?" Roxas muttered, letting the scent of her strawberry shampoo fill his nose.

"Please, just let me hold you." She rested her chin on top of his head, and started to hum lighty. _'He's really here. Naminé really did bring us back. I get a second chance with him,'_

"Kairi, you spaced out there for awhile... and you were crying... were you thinking of Sora again?" His voice sounded so soft, almost at a whisper.

"I was thinking of you Roxas. And what i would do if I ever lost you." Kairi smiled into his hair. "You mean everything to me Roxas."

He pulled out of her arms and she could see the redness in his cheeks as he stared into her eyes. He looked like a little kid, the way his eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and his hair bouncing about his head, just like Sora's had always done.

"Kairi, I'm sorry if I'm like a replacement for Sora... I never wanted to seem that way to you. I wanted to just be Roxas. Not Sora with an "x" attached. I have a heart, even if half of it used to be Sora's." Roxas held his hand over his heart. "That just adds more love I have for you."

Kairi placed her hand over her heart and sucked in a deep breath. "Naminé and I are different in many ways, she was born after Sora released my heart from within him, she has a connection to both of us, and so in a way she is connected to you, regardless if she feels it... But she loved you too. She gave you up for me. She helped me-"

A sudden rumble caused Kairi to jump up and Roxas followed as well, pulling out his two Keyblade's.

"Is it heartless?" Roxas looked around him, his childlike face gone, and in it's place, Kairi realized, was the face of a hero.

"Yes. The one Sora fought. We need to kill it." Kairi managed to say before the earth before them cracked in half.

"Kairi get out of-" he paused and looked over at her as she held her hand out, causing Oathkeeper to come out. "We?"

"I'm not letting you do this alone Roxas. We're in this together." She looked over at him and he paused for a moment, but then nodded.

"Together."

As they both started to slay the heartless pouring from beneath them, Kairi smelled rotting flesh, and knew it was time for it to appear. She nudged Roxas and whispered lightly, "Watch out. It's coming."

Roxas turned, seeing the horns poking out of the ground, then the rest of it appearing before Roxas, taunting him. It lunged towards him and Kairi, but he used his two keyblade's to make a shield around them both, and then he jumped out of it, and towards the creature. It stuck it's head high into the sky, and caused lighting to hit the ground, and as he watched Kairi, she rotated the Keyblade to knock off the magic from it, as he did as well.

The heartless looked down at Roxas, and opened it's mouth, as if to speak. "Damn persistant Nobody."

"Sorry but I'm not a Nobody any longer. I have a heart now." He pointed the keyblade towards the heartless. "Why did you kill Sora?"

"We heartless fear the keyblade, so I was put to the task of destroying him. I mean, I only thought there would be one of them to kill-" It looked from Roxas to Kairi. "But now it seems the keyblade isn't picky."

"Leave Kairi out of this."

"Ah, the girl who was with the previous Keybalde master. Found a new lover for me to kill now?" The heartless swung it's claw towards Roxas's back, but Kairi parried it's attack back towards it, knocking it's arm off in the process.

"You will not touch him." Kairi said firmly, holding the keyblade in front of herself in defense.

"You will not touch her." Roxas said standing beside Kairi. "It's time to end this, once and for all."

Kairi nodded and they both charged at the same time. The heartless brought it's other arm down towards Kairi but she parried it's attack and knocked it back aways from them both. Roxas let out a grunt as the tail of the heartless knocked him back, but before it could bring it's teeth into his shoulder, Kairi jabbed her Keyblade into it's head, and it wobbled to the ground, destroyed. As it disappeared, a large heart floated from it, and broke into thousands of tiny ones and they scattered through the sky.

Kairi fell to her knees and gasped for breath. "That was insane."

"I can't believe you killed it! Where did you get those mad Keyblade weilding skills?" Roxas asked, sitting beside her.

"Well when you spend a good part of your childhood growing up with the Keyblade master..." She smiled and wiped her forehead. "Riku and Sora did a lot of rival fighting when they were younger. I wanted to try it too, so I studied their movements."

"He he, well Kairi. Let's go home. I think we've had enough adventure for one day." Roxas grabbed her hand and and the stood up, facing each other they hugged each other tightly.

"I love you Roxas."

"I love you too."

----

The next day, Kairi recieved a call on her cell phone, expecting it to be Roxas, she picked it up and spoke, "Hey honey,"

Silence came from the other end and Kairi spoke again,

"Roxxie?"

"Kairi, this is Riku." The deep voice from the phone sounded shocked, and she apologized instantly.

"Oh Riku I am so sorry. I thought you were my boyfriend calling." Kairi mumbled awkardly.

"Boyfriend? Well anyway, I'm just calling to tell you, I'm going to be visiting Selphie tomorrow, so if you would want to hang out tomorrow with us-"

"Oh of course!" Kairi yelled.

"Well we'll be at the beach at about 12:30 or so. So I'll see you then." Riku spoke softly.

"Ok. Bye Riku."

"Bye." She hung up the phone and sat on her bed, pondering about something Riku said.

"Wait, Selphie and Riku are together?"

----

"I cannot believe you are dragging me to the beach with you and Selphie." Roxas mumbled, as he and Kairi walked towards the waters of the shore.

"Oh come on. It's going to be fun." They arrived at the beach ten minutes later, and Selphie and Riku were waiting for them.

"Hey Kairi!" Selphie squealed.

"Kairi, you look, amazing." Riku's cool voice lingered in her ears for a moment, but soon, Kairi turned to Roxas.

"Riku, this is my boyfriend, Roxas."

Extending a hand towards each other, Riku and Roxas's eyes pierced each other as they shook hands. Kairi stared at them for a moment, then latched onto Roxas's arm.

"Swimming time!" Kairi pulled her shirt over her head and waded into the crystal clear water, and soon, Selphie followed.

She laid on her back and floated, staring at the sunny sky above, letting her thoughts wander...

_'I saved Roxas. He'll actually be able to live... and Sora kept his word... so he must remember everything that happened in the past. Why doesn't Roxas remember? Did Naminé do this on purpose? Make it so he didn't remember the pain of before?'_ Kairi suddenly felt herself go under, and she noticed spiked blond hair to her right and she turned and smiled. Roxas was grinning largely at her.

She pulled him close to her and held him for a moment, then realizing they needed time to breathe, pushed herself up into the open air above. She opened her eyes and let the sun warm the top of her head, then, she turned towards her friends and smiled.

"Hey Kairi, let's go out deeper!" Selphie muttered somewhere to her left, but she was already ahead of them.

Deeper into the depths of the ocean she swam, almost to where she couldn't see her friends, but it excited her, the danger of it all. As she plunged under, she watched the fish and creatures below her swim in a grace she knew she couldn't perform. Then, a glittering at the bottom of the ocean caused her to stop, and her curiosity got the better of her, and she swam down to see what it was. As she reached the bottom of the ocean, she soon realized it was a charm, one in the shape of a crown...

Kairi's head began to spin, and she saw nothing but blackness... then...

_'Who are you?'_

_"Who...? Who are you?"_

_'I'm Roxas.'_

_"Roxas? I'm Kairi."_

_'Kairi? That's strange. Is this a dream...?'_

_"Eh? It might be. You're speaking into my mind..."_

_'I've seen you so many times in my dreams... you were building a raft on an island with a couple of boys.'_

_"You know them...?" There was a pause, then, "Please! Tell me those boys names!"_

_'Ah... Um... Riku...'_

_"Yeah... And the other one?"_

_Another voice soon sounded in her ears, and Kairi's heart jumped at the sound of it._

_'You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot Kairi!'_

_"!"_

_'Okay, I guess I can give you a hint... it starts with an "s"...'_

"Kairi, Kairi!" Someone was shaking her... they sounded so concerned... "Kairi please wake up!"

"R-Roxas?" She opened her eyes, and realized she was staring straight into the faces of Roxas and Riku. "Riku?"

"We saw you go under... then we realized you didn't come back up. Riku and I rushed to get you... but we thought we were too... too late." She noticed specks of wetness on his cheeks, and she couldn't help but smile.

"I had a dream Roxas... about meeting you. We met through our dreams when Sora was still alive. I heard his voice again..." Kairi looked over at Riku and saw that he was frowning.

"Kairi he's dead... he isn't coming back." Riku whispered.

"I know. But, that's okay you know? Because... even though I won't ever have Sora back... I still fell in love again. I have someone... and Sora wanted me to be happy... so I think he approves of Roxas." She smiled and let her hand fall on Roxas's. "Even if he was once half of what Sora once was."

Riku looked over at them, and sighed lightly, sneaking glances at Kairi's face. He was hoping to talk to her without that "thing" near her... but she was basically attached to him, and he knew it would be difficult to get her alone.

"I'm going to go Kairi. If you need me, you know where to find me." He turned, pushed his hair back, and walked away from them.

Kairi sat up and held her head, as she watched the beach get dizzy before her.

"Are you okay to sit up? Do you want me to take you home?" Roxas put his arm around her waist and pulled her up.

"I'll be fine, but thank you anyway." She kissed his cheek, then turned away, a frown across her lips. _'Riku...'_

----

_'Why? Why do you have the Keyblade?'_

Riku sat, staring at the walls of the secret place where he and Sora had always played in... even Kairi came in here once in awhile... so it was a special place to him. He remembered Roxas, that was definite... but why was he here now? He had joined back with Sora before the battle with Xemnas...

"Did he get released when Sora died?"

"You don't remember everything from before do you?" Kairi's voice made him jump, and he turned to face her.

"What do you mean? All I know is that Roxas was a part of Sora..."

"Let me explain..." Kairi sat there with Riku for the next half hour, telling him how Naminé had taken her and Roxas back into the past, and how everything had happened, how Sora had actually come back, how she had lost Roxas. It took him a few moments to let it all sink in, but finally he nodded.

"So Roxas left you because you wanted Sora, and when Sora saw that opportunity, he used Roxas as a passage... draining his life force. But me, I was the puppet. He used my physical body to come back. Then he went back, Roxas came back, but he wasn't human. Naminé changed time... and now you're here, fixing everything?"

"Basically, yeah." She smiled, then looked down at her thumbs as she twiddled them slightly.

"So I caused a reaction by... k-kissing you?" He stumbled on the word, but he looked at Kairi hopefully.

"Yes. It was a mistake. I mean, it ruined you and Selphie. Also me and Roxas... and I can't live without him Riku."

"I do love you Kairi, I want you to know that at least. I have loved you, basically as long as Sora has. I never wanted to tell you, because Sora had you, and I didn't want to ruin what you had. Just, please, be careful... I don't want to see you get your heart broken again. I care about you." He smiled and touched her hand lightly.

"I know, Riku." She patted his hand lightly and smiled. "Come on, we better go."

As they reached the shore of Destiny Islands, Riku watched as Kairi leapt into Roxas's arms, and he felt his heart drop in his chest. But something about the smile on their faces caused him to smile, because the smile on Roxas's face looked just like the one he'd grown up seeing when Sora was still around.

* * *

**End Note: **_Well, I hope this chapter was long enough for you guys. Ha. Well, keep on the watch for more stories I am working on, and chapter 15!! Also, use that all-time special **purpley** review button!!_


	15. Who's Getting Married?

**Authors Note: **_This wasn't as long as I'd hoped it to be, but hey what can I do? I still haven't decided wwhen I'm ending this... DUN DUN DUN!! But hey, you'll just have to keep reading. And check out that cool other story I'm writing. It's funny._

**Disclaimer:**_(Does Not Own Kingdom Hearts)_

_

* * *

_

_"Basically, yeah." She smiled, then looked down at her thumbs as she twiddled them slightly. _

_"So I caused a reaction by... k-kissing you?" He stumbled on the word, but he looked at Kairi hopefully. _

_"Yes. It was a mistake. I mean, it ruined you and Selphie. Also me and Roxas... and I can't live without him Riku." _

_"I do love you Kairi, I want you to know that at least. I have loved you, basically as long as Sora has. I never wanted to tell you, because Sora had you, and I didn't want to ruin what you had. Just, please, be careful... I don't want to see you get your heart broken again. I care about you." He smiled and touched her hand lightly._

_"I know, Riku." She patted his hand lightly and smiled. "Come on, we better go."_

_As they reached the shore of Destiny Islands, Riku watched as Kairi leapt into Roxas's arms, and he felt his heart drop in his chest. But something about the smile on their faces caused him to smile, because the smile on Roxas's face looked just like the one he'd grown up seeing when Sora was still around. _

----

**'Can you take this lonely girl, pick her up from off the ground...'**

Roxas seemed to be having de ja vu, because everything lately that he and Kairi did, seemed like they had already before. Being with Riku and Selphie especially... he didn't know why, but he had a bitter feeling towards Riku, and he hadn't done anything to Roxas.

"You okay there Rox?" Riku's voice startled him, he had forgotten he was sitting beside him in the ice cream parlor.

"Yeah. I just feel like all this stuff that's happened in these past few days already happened or something..."

"Kairi didn't tell you... did she?" Riku shoved a spoonful of mint mocha ice cream in his mouth.

"Tell me what?" Roxas was confused... Kairi usually told him everything, no matter what it dealt with.

"About how she and Naminé changed the past... you died Roxas, and were brought back as a Nobody again. Kairi got a second chance to make things right... and so far, she's doing pretty damn well if I say so myself."

"W-why didn't she tell me?"

Riku looked away from him and out at the sunny beach before them. "She didn't want to remind you of the pain you both endured. Only she wanted to bear it. She wanted what was best for you... I mean, Roxas, she really loves you."

"I don't want her to carry all of this pain with her... she doesn't deserve it..." Roxas slammed his fist on the table in anger. "All I do is cause her pain and problems... human or not, I still have the same purpose as a Nobody!"

"Roxas-" The voice of Kairi startled him, and he didn't realize he had yelled so loud... but now she was turning away from him, running out the door...

"Kairi wait-" He chased after her, eventually to where she was sitting on the shore of the beach, her head down, her hair covering her face. "Please listen to me,"

"You don't get it. This pain is nothing Roxas. Not compared to the pain of losing you. You are everything to me and I cannot lose you again. Things that happened before are done and over with... I've stopped dwelling in the past. I don't want you to start." Kairi lifted her head up and stared into his eyes. "I love you."

Roxas pulled her close to his chest and patted her head softly. "I love you too. And I'm not going anywhere ever again."

"Promise me you'll stay forever." Kairi whispered.

"I promise."

----

"You know Roxas, after everything that went on here on this island... I never thought I'd want to come back to it." Kairi spoke softly, staring at the ocean waves before them as they sat on the beach of Destiny Islands once more.

"I know, but after the whole traumatic experience's here, we had some pretty good times too." Roxas smiled over at her.

"Oh yeah!" Kairi leapt up off of the sands, and towards the "secret place" remembering what she had drawn there before.

Roxas followed her into the cave, and saw Kairi kneeled beside the stone wall of the cave, drawing something with chalk she had found on the ground near her. As he watched her, he saw himself, with a skateboard below him, and then he watched her begin to draw herself and he stopped her. Grabbing the chalk he etched her face on the rock, and then when he finished, he drew a heart with a ring inside of it between them. Kairi wrote underneath their pictures in bold letters: **R&K Forever**. She looked over at Roxas and realized... the ring. He hadn't given it to her yet because that had happened after he almost died from the attack from the heartless.

She watched as Roxas bent down on one knee, a smile creeping across his lips. "Kairi Hisato, will you marry me? I mean, not until, of course, our eighteenth birthday's."

"Yes!" Kairi leapt into his arms and he hugged her tightly.

He pulled out her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger lightly, then laid a kiss on the top of her hand.

"This is amazing. I'm actually going to marry you Kairi. We'll be together forever-" Kairi had stopped him from speaking by pressing her lips onto his.

When they parted, Kairi smiled largely. "You make me so happy to be alive. You've changed me so much Roxas, it amazes me. I felt like death on earth after Sora died but you coming here gave me hope, hope to love again and I really fell in love with you."

"You make me the happiest guy alive Kairi, I mean, being with you makes it seem like the rest of the world isn't even there. You are the sole most important person to me, and I cannot wait to call you my wife." Roxas kissed her cheek and she blushed.

"That's not for another two years. I'm only sixteen, and my birthday is in October-" She counted on her fingers for a moment. "That's in two months."

"I know, I know." Roxas fiddled with his thumbs for a moment, then stood up beside Kairi.

"What are you doing?" She asked, standing beside him.

"Don't we have to tell everyone? Riku, Selphie... and all of your other friends?" He muttered grabbing her hand.

"Oh of course." She smiled as they walked out of the cave, hand in hand. "Selphie is going to soil herself when I tell her she'll be the bridesmaid."

"Riku is going to be the best man. Is that alright with you?"

"I thought you didn't like him?" Kairi asked, cocking her head lightly to the side.

"Well, hey, he's the closest guy friend I have right now. Plus I feel a bond with him, probably because of me being part of Sora-" Kairi stopped and kissed him again, but this time she did it longer, and Roxas smiled when she let him go.

"You talk way too much." Kairi whispered and they walked down the beach towards the little row boat Roxas had rented, to head back to the island to tell everyone their news.

----

"Married? You two are getting... married?" Riku stumbled over his words as he watched Selphie jump up and down in front of him.

"I think it's adorable! Oh my goodness Kairi, we have to get you a dress, shoes, your hair done, nails, make-up of course, flowers, decorations..." Selphie kept listing things as Roxas stepped towards Riku.

"Hey, Riku, I was wondering, would you mind being the best man? I know you aren't too fond of me right now, but it would mean a lot to me and Kairi both if you could make it..." Roxas stopped talking as he realized Riku had pulled him into a soft brotherly hug.

"Of course I will you idiot. But you do realize, you'll be spending a lot more time with me now, right?" Riku laughed and released Roxas from the hug.

"Hey, maybe we could end up as some really close friends."

"I have to introduce you to Tidus, Wakka, and the others. I mean Kairi will want to bring Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid of course..." Riku continued to list names, but Kairi and Selphie interupted them.

"We're going to go home and celebrate," Selphie exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'll meet you in a bit Selph." Kairi mumbled, blushing slightly.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Riku slipped away from them and walked towards Selphie, then he wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked away.

"Roxas, what are we going to do now? I mean... we defeated that heartless, we're going to get _married_..." Kairi stared over at him sadly. "What if the heartless come back again? You'll have to be the new Keyblade master, and I can't deal with you leaving me-"

"Kairi, if the time comes when I am needed to save the worlds, just like Sora was, I'll take you with me, and we'll venture off together." He smiled over at her lightly. "I'm not leaving you behind. You're perfectly capable of fighting. But I promise you this, I'll always be there to protect you."

Kairi looked over at Roxas, and felt tears sting her eyes lightly. Truly, he was like Sora in so many ways... but he was so different in ways as well. The words he had just spoken made her choke up, and she knew exactly why... because right there at that moment, he sounded just like Sora had when he had said that to her. She looked down at the ground beneath her and sighed, then she looked at Roxas once more and gased. Sora's silhouette was visible before her, and he was smiling largely. He took Kairi's hand and placed it to his lips, and she felt icy cool where they had touched her. And then... he was gone, and Roxas was now smiling at her, his lips warming the spot Sora had kissed.

"He said his final good bye," Kairi whispered, staring up at the sunny sky before them.

"No Kairi, he was wishing you the best..." Roxas spoke beside her. "He wants you truly happy, and he knows that this is what you really want."

Kairi smiled over at him and clasped her hand around his wrist. "Well come on don't we have a party to go to?"

Roxas nodded and they ran from the shore towards Selphie's house, where from outside it, they could tell, this day was going to get a hell of a lot more interesting.

* * *

**End Note: **_Cough. Chapter 16 is next. Psssh. Review with everyone's favorite purpley button, (or in some cases... white)_


	16. Parties, Visitations, and War

**Authors Note: **_Ah, well here it is, the final chapter! (sniff sniff) it saddens me to see my story end, but what the heck!? I have a sequel! I rock. No not really. This chapter may get confusing in the end, but it will all make sense it time. All in time. Well I really hope I ended this well enough for you guys and I appreciate all you have done for me. Keep rocking!_

**Disclaimer: **_(Still Does Not Own Kingdom Hearts In Any **Way, Shape, or Form**.)_

_

* * *

_

_"Kairi, if the time comes when I am needed to save the worlds, just like Sora was, I'll take you with me, and we'll venture off together." He smiled over at her lightly. "I'm not leaving you behind. You're perfectly capable of fighting. But I promise you this, I'll always be there to protect you."_

_Kairi looked over at Roxas, and felt tears sting her eyes lightly. Truly, he was like Sora in so many ways... but he was so different in ways as well. The words he had just spoken made her choke up, and she knew exactly why... because right there at that moment, he sounded just like Sora had when he had said that to her. She looked down at the ground beneath her and sighed, then she looked at Roxas once more and gased. Sora's silhouette was visible before her, and he was smiling largely. He took Kairi's hand and placed it to his lips, and she felt icy cool where they had touched her. And then... he was gone, and Roxas was now smiling at her, his lips warming the spot Sora had kissed._

_"He said his final good bye," Kairi whispered, staring up at the sunny sky before them._

_"No Kairi, he was wishing you the best..." Roxas spoke beside her. "He wants you truly happy, and he knows that this is what you really want."_

_Kairi smiled over at him and clasped her hand around his wrist. "Well come on don't we have a party to go to?" _

_Roxas nodded and they ran from the shore towards Selphie's house, where from outside it, they could tell, this day was going to get a hell of a lot more interesting._

----

The party at Selphie's house was a lot more than Kairi and Roxas had expected. She had called everyone on her way home from the beach... Tidus, Wakka, and even people they didn't know from school.

_'Of course,' _Kairi thought to herself. _'She __**had**__ to invite Tidus...'_

"So Kairi, you're getting married?" Tidus asked in a mocking tone as he approached her.

"Yes, when I turn eighteen, I will officially be Roxas's wife." She smiled and turned to Roxas. "Why did I agree to this party?"

Roxas scratched his head for a moment. "Because she's your best friend?"

"Yeah you're right. But why did she invite half of the 11th grade?" Suddenley Kairi's arm was being tugged on, and she felt herself being pulled away from Roxas. "Wait-"

She muffled into the air a bit more, but the person didn't seem to notice. Kairi couldn't even tell who had a hold of her through the mess of people she was being pulled into.

"Kairi, you okay there?" It was Selphie's voice.

"Where did you take me and why?" She rolled her eyes lightly, staring at her best friend.

"Well it is your party isn't it? Riku has Roxas, and we're going to introduce the newest couple!" Selphie squealed.

Kairi felt her body being pushed upward, and realized she was being put on a table, with Roxas beside her. They looked over at each other and sighed deeply, then each of them glared at Selphie and Riku.

"Introducing the future Mr. and Mrs. Hikari!" Selphie announced out of the loud speaker she had hidden somewhere beside Kairi.

Claps came from around the room and Kairi felt her cheeks burn from embaressment. She rushed off the stage as fast as she could, but felt another arm tug her away before she could get to Roxas. This time, the arm was dragging her towards Selphie's room, and she knew, it wasn't Selphie.

"Kairi."

"Tidus where did you take me and why?" She mumbled standing beside the lampstand in Selphie's room.

"I need to tell you something." He pulled her arm to bring her closer to him. "I love you."

"That's nice." She mumbled, attempting to pull from his grip. "Let me go."

Tidus clamped tighter and she yelped in pain. "No. I'm not letting you go back to Roxas ever again."

He leaned in towards her mouth to kiss her, but she turned away, and he ended up getting her cheek instead. Frustrated he pulled her onto the bed to sit down, and she misinturpreted what he was going to do. She was about to scream when she was silenced by his lips crashing onto hers. She yanked his head back and ran for the door, but he grabbed her ankle and she crashed to the floor.

"I'm not letting him have you." He mumbled pulling her towards him again.

"Roxas!" She managed to scream, but she was again silenced by Tidus's lips.

"Kairi?" She heard Roxas's voice coming from the doorway of Selphie's room. "Tidus what the hell!?"

Kairi felt Tidus being pulled away from her, she saw Roxas's face, and then something hit her and then everything went black...

_'Peaceful sleep,' _She thought as she drifted into another black abyss.

----

"Kairi please wake up." Selphie's voice was muffled slightly, like Kairi was underwater...

"Are we swimming?" Kairi slurred out her words.

"No silly. You got hit in the head by Tidus's body. Roxas punched him in the face and he flew backwards onto your head and you blacked out." Selphie whispered, and Kairi felt her twist some of her hair around her finger.

"Kairi thank goodness your awake." She fluttered her eyes open and saw Roxas and Selphie staring at her. "I'm so sorry Tidus's body flew back and hit you."

"Where is he? I want to knock his teeth out," Kairi slurred out.

"Oh I think Roxas did a pretty good job of that." Riku's voice said from beside her.

Roxas grinned down at her and held up his swollen fist.

"Roxas are you okay?" Kairi shot up and grabbed his hand.

"I'm fine. I hit him harder than I thought... didn't mean to knock him out. Just give him a taste of what he gets for touching my fiancee'." Roxas smiled and leaned down to kiss Kairi's forehead lightly.

Kairi held her head for a moment, then looked around the room she was in. It was still Selphie's room, but the only difference from before she blacked out was Tidus hunched in the corner, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping, and blood dripping from his lip.

"I really wanted to punch him too-" She managed to say before she felt her words slur once more. "He deserved it."

"Kai, you need to lay down for awhile." Roxas whispered, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Mmm, sleep." She whispered, then closed her eyes softly.

Kairi had fallen asleep on Roxas's lap, and he didn't budge an inch as she slept. He watched her face intentley, waiting to see her expressions in her sleep, but all she did was smile over and over again. He rubbed the side of her neck with his fingers soft enough to where she felt it, but didn't wake up from it.

"I love you Kairi," He whispered into her hair.

"I love you too Roxas." Kairi whispered.

"Awake now I see?" He kissed her cheek softly and she giggled.

"I'm okay now!" She sat up and smiled largely at him. "We can party now!"

"Okay, it is late though, about 2:30 or so." Roxas said looking at the clock in Selphie's room.

"Oh boo hoo. We can still dance and have fun!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him out to the living room where a few couples were dancing to a slow beated song that was playing.

Kairi wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against his tight chest just as he pulled his arms around her waist. They danced around for awhile, she against his chest, and he, his cheek on her head. But then, Selphie began yelling about some visitors there for Kairi and Sora... and they stared at the doorway.

There before them were three figures. The one in the middle of the three, had very large rounded ears, and a blade in his hand that Roxas recognized instantly. He went to shout something but Kairi hushed him. Then they looked at the other two... A duck and a dog? White feathers and black fur?

"Who are these people and why do those two look so familiar..." Roxas whispered to Kairi.

"Your majesty, Donald, Goofy!" Kairi leapt towards them in one step, causing them all to fall to the floor in pain.

"Haha. Kairi as energetic as always I see?" The large eared one said.

"King Mickey, why are you here? Is there something wrong?" Kairi said sitting up.

"Gawrsh, where's Sora?"

She turned to face the one who had spoken. "Goofy... Donald..."

"Where is he Kairi? And why is his Nobody here?"

"Donald perhaps we should take this into another room." The king whispered as he rushed into Selphie's room.

Silence filled the room as Kairi, Roxas, Riku, Selphie, The King, Donald, and Goofy all stood around attempting to figure out what to say.

"Sora is dead." Roxas finally said.

"D-dead?" Goofy whispered.

"He was killed by a heartless a year and a half ago." Kairi said in a hushed tone.

"Kairi, I am truly sorry..." Mickey said lightly. "But we also have another problem now. Sora is gone, and no one is left to fight the heartless and the nobodies that have returned."

Roxas stared down at his hand and clenched it into a tight fist. Mickey continued to talk to Kairi, ignoring the fact Roxas was there, and he was getting irritated to the fact that they didn't even bother to ask anything about him.

"All of the worlds are being demolished one by one," Mickey continued. "And the most recent, was Twilight Town."

Roxas's head shot up in anger and he ran towards Kairi and the others in rage. "Where are Hayner, Pence, and Olette?"

Mickey looked over at him, and Roxas saw discouragement in his eyes. "Hayner and Olette are fine but... they captured your friend Pence."

"Where is he? Who has him? Tell me!" Roxas yelled in anger.

"He is a sorcerer, from what Donald and Goofy have told me, and he has the power to manipulate magic. His powers are greater than mine and Sora's could have been combined..." The king trailed off. "He is far too powerful, and he is creating conflict between worlds. War has broken out throughout the galaxies."

"War?" Kairi whispered, clinging to Roxas's arm.

"We need your help." The king said to Kairi and Roxas both. "If Sora is gone, then it is now Roxas's job to fight in his place. Sora's power rests within you, awaken it and fight for the peace he tried so hard to keep."

Kairi stepped away from Roxas and looked at him sternly. "I'm coming with you."

"As am I." Riku suddenley said.

Roxas stared over at them and couldn't help but smile. Kairi was going to be with him, as was his new friend... Riku. All of a sudden he knew, he was ready to fight to protect all he loved... to protect those who needed protection.

He once again clenched his fist but when he opened his hand this time, he made the Keyblade appear in it. Clenching it tightly, he nodded towards Riku and Kairi.

"Let's end this. For good."

The king stared at him for a moment then nodded slightly. "Let's get you guys back to the castle. We have some preparations to upholster."

Kairi looked over at Selphie, who hadn't moved an inch since they had returned to her room. She ran over and hugged her tightly whispering in her ear, "I'll keep Riku out of trouble." Then she ran to follow the king and Roxas.

Riku stepped beside her and tugged her arm lightly, pulling her closer to him for a light kiss.

"I love you Selphie." He whispered into her hair, then he turned and walked away, not even giving her a second glance.

----

"Those pathetic heartless, and those even more pathetic nobodies could never accomplish the goal I have sought out to do," A voice whispered into the darkness.

It belonged to a man, who was standing in the midst of the sorrow remains of Twilight Town, he had no hair, but his piercing red eyes gave away that his intentions were nothing good. He clenched a fist and stared towards the woods leading to the Old Mansion, laughing lightly.

"Once I reign over complete darkness, Kingdom Hearts will be mine!" He yelled into the empty air around him.

"I think not." A voice behind him said.

Turning, he faced a tall broad man, his flowing brown hair whisped in the wind as he walked towards the evil man. Beside him was a younger girl, with short blue hair and blue eyes, a look of complete disgust across her face.

"Ah, the keyblade weilders," The man said, facing them completely.

"We won't let you destroy any more worlds." The girl spoke lightly, stepping ahead of her companion.

"Too late my dear, I have already destroyed far more than you are knowledgeable of. Including a place that I believe you two, once called "home"." The man sneered at them and saw anger flourish across their faces.

"You bastard!" The other man yelled charging at him.

In a flash the bald man was gone, and his place, a dark gruesome creature, no face to identify it, but it was most definentley not human. It sent a spell of fire straight at the long haired man, and it hit him squarely in the chest, knocking him backwards.

"Terra-" The girl managed to say, before a hand came behind her and cupped itself over her mouth.

She kicked upright knocking the person who had a hold of her right in the head, but a sudden grunt of pain made her turn, and she realized, it was someone she didn't know.

"Calm down lady, jeeze we're only here to help." The voice belonged to a boy, who she figured was close to her age, but there was something different about him... and especially the other two companions following him.

"What happened?" The girl behind him asked, brushing her auburn hair from her face.

"This lady kicked me in the face... eh, Riku, take care of him will you?" The boy said pointing to the dark figure before them.

The silver haired boy beside the girl nodded and ran towards the man named Terra, to protect him from the dark figure. The boy once more turned to face her a smile across his lips.

"Ah, what is your name by the way...?"

"M-my name? It's Aqua." She smiled and looked over towards Terra.

"Don't worry about him," The other girl whispered. "Riku will take good care of him, and that evil thing attacking him."

Aqua studied the boy for a moment, and saw something familiar in his slightly spiked blond hair, and cerulean blue eyes... something very familiar. The girl also looked rather peculiar, with her shoulder length auburn hair, and light violet eyes.

"Who are you two?" She asked.

The girl answered first. "I'm Kairi, Kairi Hisato."

The boy smiled and held out an open hand. "I'm Roxas Hikari, Keyblade weilder, and protector of worlds. Nice to meet you."

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

**End Note: **_Well, there you have it. I am done... wow. Except I'm not really... eh... well please review with that awesomeful **purpley **button. You know that's all I ever ask for... (and well, for you to read the story...) Hah. Later Gators._

_Rikku_


End file.
